SF 

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UC-NRljF 


$B  33 


Fjrst 
Lessons  in 

Poultry 
Keeping. 


FIRST    YEAR    COURSE. 


BY 

JOHIN    H.    ROBirVSOJN, 

Editor  oi  FARM-POULTRY, 

FIFTH  EDITION, 

PUBLISHED    BY 

FARM-POULTRY  PUBLISHING  CO,, 

BOSTON,    MASS. 


GIFT  OF 
/• 


FARM-POULTRY    SERIES    No.   8. 


FIFTH   EDITION. 


FIRST   LESSONS 


irv 


POULTRY   KEEPING. 

HIRST     YEAR    COURSE. 

This  series  originally  appeared  in  Farm-Poultry  serially  in  1905. 


BY 

John    H.(  Robinson, 

x--ui___ 

Editor  FARM-POULTRY. 

Author  Poultry-Craft,  The  Common-Sense  Poultry  Doctor,  Broilers  and  Roasters,  Winter  Eggs, 


RRICE    SO    CEINTS. 


PUBLISHED    BY 

FARM-POULTRY  PUB.   CO.,  Boston,  Mass. 
1910. 


COPYRIGHT,  1905 

BY 

FARM-POULTRY  PUB.  CO. 
BOSTON,  MASS. 


Press  of  S.  G.  Robinson,  267  Atlantic  Ave.,  Boston. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTORY  CHAPTER 

LESSON    I. 
WINTER  RATIONS  FOR  LAYING  STOCK 

LESSON    II. 
THE  "  Hows''  AND  "  WHYS"  OF  FEEDING  LAYING  STOCK  IN  WINTER        -          -          14 

LESSON    III. 
GENERAL  PRINCIPLES  AND  RULES  FOR  POULTRY  BREEDERS  18 

LESSON    IV. 
PUTTING  PRINCIPLES  OF  BREEDING  INTO  PRACTICE  -          24 

LESSON    V. 
HATCHING  CHICKS  WITH  HENS  -  35 

LESSON    VI. 
REARING  CHICKS  WITH  HENS  -          .          -          43 

LESSON    VII. 
THE  CARE  OF  CHICKS  FROM  WEANING  TO  MATURITY  -  53 

LESSON    VIII. 
POINTS  TO  BK  CONSIDERED  IN  POULTRY  HOUSE  CONSTRUCTION      -  59 

LESSON    IX. 
Two  PLAIN  CHEAP  POULTRY  HOUSES  OF  SIMPLE  CONSTRUCTION  -  66 

LESSON    X. 
FIVE  GOOD  SMALL  POULTRY  HOUSES     -  77 


<v.  CONTENTS. 

LESSON    XI. 
SUMMER  MANAGEMENT  OF  FOWLS  -          91 

LESSON    XII. 
CONTINUOUS  POULTRY  HOUSES. — CONTINUOUS  vs.  SEPARATE  HOUSES  9J 

LESSON    XIII. 
INCUBATOR  ROOMS  AND  BROODER  HOUSES  -         106 

LESSON    XIV. 
SIMPLE  vs.  SO-CALLED  SCIENTIFIC  POULTRY  FEEDING  112 

LESSON    XV. 
POULTRY  HOUSE  FIXTURES  a        120 

LESSON    XVI. 
POULTRY  FENCES  AND  YARDS      -  129 

LESSON    XVII. 
GETTING  READY  FOR  WINTER      -  133 

LESSON    XVIII. 
EXHIBITING  FOWLS  -  -  139 

LESSON    XIX. 
THE  FATTENING  OF  POULTRY  -  -         149 

LESSON    XX. 
SELLING  MARKET  POULTRY  AND  EGGS  -  154 

LESSON    XXI. 
SELLING  EXHIBITION  STOCK  AJ*D  EGGS  FOR  HATCHING  161 


JNDEX  _-__-.          _          -          .          .          „         166 


First  Lessons  IN  Poultry  Keeping 


FIRST     YEAR     COURSE.* 


Introductory. 


BEFORE  taking  up  the  regular  work  of  this  course  every  reader  who  intends  to  follow  it 
through  the  year  should  consider  carefully  a  few  propositions  about  poultry  keeping. 
These  may  not  be  in  accordance  with  some  ideas  about  it  which  he  has  absorbed,  he 
knows  not  where;  b.ut  if  he  is  to  get  much  benefit  from  these  lessons  he  must  accept 
them,  at  least  provisionally,  and  pursue  his  study  and  carry  on  his  work  on  the  assumption 
that  they  are  correct. 

The  first  of  these  propositions  is  this : 

(1).  Poultry  keeping  is  a  simple  occupation  in  that  it  requires  no  great  knowledge  or 
ability. 

Among  successful  poultry  keepers  we  find  men  and  women  of  practically  all  grades  of  intel- 
ligence and  all  degrees  of  general  capability. 

Why  then  are  there  so  many  failures  in  poultry  keeping?  The  answer  to  this  question  is 
suggested  in  our  second  and  third  propositions. 

(2) .    Poultry  keeping  is  an  occupation  involving  a  variety  of  simple  operations. 

(3).  Successful  poultry  keeping  depends  upon  the  regular,  faithful,  and  general  accu- 
rate performance  of  many  small  tasks. 

People  fail  in  poultry  keeping  because  they  take  hard  and  laborious  ways  of  doing  things 
that  may  be  done  easily;  or  because  they  entirely  omit  some  necessary  though  simple  feature 
of  the  work;  or  because  they  are  irregular  and  spasmodic  in  carrying  out  a  routine  which 
theoretically  is  all  that  it  should  be. 

Nine  out  of  ten  who  have  read  this  far  will  be  ready  to  say  :  —  "  Why,  that  is  all  very  easy  ; 
anyone  can  do  that  from  the  start." 

It  is  right  there  that  nine  out  of  ten  go  wrong.  An  occupation  involving  many  simple  opera- 
tions becomes  complex  if  one  and  the  same  person  has  to  carry  on  many  of  these  operations 
simultaneously;  and  that  is  just  the  condition  we  have  in  poultry  keeping.  After  one  has 
learned  these  simple  things  and  practiced  them  until  the  doing  of  them  becomes  almost 
mechanical,  they  come  easy,  but  they  have  to  be  learned  one  by  one,  and  time  is  required  to 
become  proficient  in  them  through  practice. 

•These  Lessons  first  appeared  in  serial  form  in  FARM-POULTRY.  1905,  in  a  course  designed  to  run  through 
several  years,  and  are  issued  in  pamphlet  form  for  those  who  desire  to  preserve  them  in  more  compact 
form  than  in  files  of  the  paper:  and  for  later  subscribers  to  the  paper  who  desire  to  do  the  first  year's 
work  either  before  or  with  the  later  course. 


6  .  Fl£S"r    LENOXX    IF: POULTRY    KEEPING. 

In  this  course  of  lessons  we  are  going  to  take  up  the  many  different  things  that  have  to  be 
considered  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the  time  when  the  poultry  keeper  has  to  think  most  about 
them  in  his  work  with  poultry ;  and  in  this  first  year's  work  we  are  going  to  discuss  them  only 
as  far  as  is  necessary  to  make  it  plain  what  ought  to  be  done— what  general  practice,  or  the  best 
practice,  indicates  as  best  to  be  done. 

The  reader  who  will  be  content  to  let  each  lesson  pass  after  he  has  got  that  much  out  of  it 
will,  I  think,  be  the  one  who  will  get  most  actual  value  out  of  the  lessons  for  the  year. 

Remember  that  these  lessons  are  but  one  part  of  the  course;  the  other  part  is  the  work  each 
one  is  doing  in  his  poultry  yard.  The  purpose  of  this  course  is  to  supplement  practical  work, 
to  help  each  one  to  form  his  plans  and  apply  his  energies  for  practical  results,  and  to  give  him 
a  better  insight  into  the  teachings  of  his  own  experience. 

As  we  proceed  there  will  be  propositions  laid  down  and  rules  given  that  a  good  many  will  at 
the  time  think  extreme,  but  the  great  majority  of  beginners  will  find  it  to  their  advantage  to 
accept  these  propositions  and  conform  to  the  rules,  for  they  will  be  based  on  what  the  experi- 
ence of  many  beginners  has  shown  is  safe  for  the  average  beginner. 

I  know  that  there  are  few  beginners  who  do  not  think  they  are  going  to  be  the  exceptions, 
but  the  beginner  makes  a  mistake  when  he  assumes  that.  The  better  way  is  to  take  it  for 
granted  at  the  start  that  at  the  best  one  is  likely  to  get  only  average  results, and  to  stick  to  con- 
ditions that  are  safe,  and  to  methods  that  make  the  work  as  easy  as  possible. 

Here  are  three  more  things  to  think  about: 

The  thing  of  prime  importance  is  to  make  a  success,  however  small,  by  some  method, 
however  simple. 

A  small  success  by  safe  methods  is  better,  as  far  as  learning  from  it  goes,  than  strik- 
ingly good  results  by  unsafe  methods. 

One  can  build  safely  on  such  a  small  success,  while  the  longer  he  plans  on  the  unsafe 
basis  the  more  likely  he  is  to  fail  beyond  his  power  to  redeem  the  situation. 

Almost  all  readers  will  accept  these  as  abstract  propositions,  but  what  I  want  of  those  who 
follow  these  lessons  is  that  one  and  all  keep  their  poultry  keeping  on  a  safe  basis,  and  take  only 
the  unavoidable  risks.  If  they  will  do  that  they  will  avoid  many  (I  hope  most)  of  the  small 
losses  that  discourage  the  beginner.  All  should  go  slow  in  fact,  as  we  will  go  in  these  lessons, 
on  paper. 

Remember  we  have  plenty  of  time.  This  is  not  to  be  a  ten  lesson  course,  or  a  one  year 
course.  The  first  year  course  is  only  the  beginning.  We  expect  to  take  three  full  years  to 
complete  the  course,  digesting  and  assimilating  facts,  principles,  and  rules  as  we  go. 

There  may  be  people  who  can  learn  faster  than  that,  but  a  course  of  instruction  should 
proceed  at  a  pace  adapted  to  the  average,  or,  better,  the  slow  student.  Then  the  brighter  and 
quicker  ones  can  put  their  superiority  to  good  use  by  doing  better  and  more  thorough  work. 
You  know  the  common  fault  of  smartness  is  that  it  goes  too  fast  for  its  possessor  as  well  as 
too  fast  for  others.  In  these  lessons  we  want  a  pace  all  can  hold,  and  that  will  hold  all  to 
their  work. 


I  don't  want  to  discourage  anyone  from  reading  as  much  about  poultry  and  poultry  culture 
as  his  interest  in  the  subject  may  tempt  him  to  read,  and  his  time  allow;  but  I  urge  every 
student  in  this  course  to  make  a  thorough  mastery  of  the  particular  facts  presented  in  the 
current  lesson,  his  first  object  throughout  the  year,  and  let  all  other  poultry  interests  be 
secondary. 

It  will  take  but  a  little  time  —  only  a  very  few  minutes  a  day  —  to  learn  the  lessons  in  the 
paper.  It  will  take  hours  of  thinking  and  trying  every  day  to  put  them  into  practice,  and  it  is 
practice  that  makes  perfect.  The  student  can  learn  his  lesson  by  rote  in  a  very  short  time,  but 
applying  it  in  profitable  practice  is  a  very  different  matter.  It  is  experience  and  experiment  in 
the  poultry  yard  day  by  day  that  gives  him  a  real  understanding  of  what  he  learns  or  reads. 
One  can  learn  theoretically  as  much  faster  than  he  can  acquire  judgment  and  skill  practically, 
as  one  can  think  faster  than  he  can  put  his  thoughts  in  good  language.  Keep  this  in  mind. 
Reading  increases  one's  information  very  rapidly,  but  thinking  and  working  the  same  things 
over  and  over,  make  one  thorough  and  skillful.  In  this  is  the  true  science  of  poultry  keeping. 


F1&ST    LEX  SONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


LESSON 


Winter  Rations  For  Laying  Stock. 


IN  this  lesson  we  consider  methods  of  winter  feeding  of  fowls  kept  for  laying  purposes. 
Let  the  reader  note  first,  that  the  food  while  an  important  factor,  is  but  one  of  several 
factors  in  egg  production  :  hence  it  is  possible  for  hens  that  are  properly  fed  on  a  suitable 
ration  to  fail  to  produce  eggs,  or  to  give  a  very  unsatisfactory  yield.    Other  matters  affect- 
ing the  egg  yield  will  be  considered,  each  in  its  proper  place.    In  this  lesson  we  confine  our- 
selves to  the  treatment  (1)  of  the  properties  of  the  principal  staple  articles  of  poultry  food  gen- 
erally available  at  this  season  ;  (2)  of  the  methods  of  feeding;  (3)  of  a  few  good  specific  rations. 

Principal  Poultry  Foods  and   Food  Accessories. 

The  articles  included  under  this  heading  may  be  grouped  into  seven  classes,  as  follows: 
I.     Whole  Grains. — Corn,  wheat,  barley,  oats,  and  millet. 
II.    Cracked  Grain  and  Mixtures. —  Cracked  corn  and  the  prepared  "  scratching  feeds." 

III.  Ground  Grains. —  Corn  meal,  corn  chop,  ground  oats,  wheat  bran,  wheat  middlings, 
"mixed  chop"  (corn  and  oats  ground  together),  "provender,"  (a  mixture  of  ground 
corn,  oats,  and  bran),  and  the  various  brands  of  mixed  ground  feeds. 

IV.  Green  and  Vegetable  Foods.— Cabbage,  cut  clover  or  clover  meal,  cut  alfalfa  or 
alfalfa  meal,  and  the  common  root  vegetables. 

V.  Meat  Foods. — Green  cut  bone,  beef,  pork  and  mutton  scraps,  meat  meals,  and  animal 
meals  so-called. 

VI.  Food  Accessories. — Shell,  grit,  charcoal,  and  condiments. 
VII.    Drinks.-Water  and  milk. 

Considering  these  classes  separately  : — 

I.  Whole  Grains. 

Whole  corn  is  to  be  fed  very  sparingly  because  the  grains  are  so  large  that  fowls  fed 
it  freely  and  often  get  too  much  of  their  ration  without  exercise. 

Wheat  and  barley  may  be  fed  very  freely. 

Oats  and  millet  are  generally  used  in  small  quantities,  as  light  midday  meals.  Ordinary 
lots  of  both  contain  so  much  unfilled  grain  that  there  is  little  advantage  in  using  them. 

II.  Cracked  Grains  and  Mixtures. 

Cracked  corn  may  be  fed  in  winter  as  freely  as  wheat  and  barley.  At  usual  prices  it  is 
the  most  economical  grain  food,  and  should  be  the  major  part  of  the  grain  ration  in 
winter. 

The  various  brands  ol  mixed  grains  are  composed  generally  of  cracked  corn,  small  and 
broken  wheat,  barley,  oats,  buckwheat,  millet,  etc.  The  economy  and  advantage  of  using 
them  depend  upon  ease  or  difficulty  of  getting  the  needful  variety  of  unmixed  grains  of 
local  dealers,  and  upon  whether  the  keeper  gives  the  necessary  attention  to  variety  when 
buying  his  grains  separately. 


8  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 

III.  Ground  Grains. 

The  corn  product*,  corn  meal  and  corn  chop,  are  the  most  important  of  these,  and  one  or 
the  other  is  almost  universally  used  as  the  basis  of  the  mash.  Corn  chop  being  coarser  is 
preferable  for  stock  food,  but  in  many  places  only  meal  can  be  obtained. 

Mixed  chop  is  a  valuable  food  article,  as  also  is  coarsely  ground  oats,  often  purchased 
separately  and  used  with  corn  meal  and  other  stuffs  in  the  mash. 

'  The  by  products  of  wheat  flour,  bran  and  shorts  or  middlings  are  valuable  and  almost 
essential  articles  in  making  mashes.  There  is  an  unfortunate  confusion  in  the  use  of  the 
names  of  these  stuffs,  the  term  shorts,  which  is  properly  another  name  for  middlings,  is  in 
many  localities  applied  to  bran,  while  the  shorts  are  known  as  "white  middlings"  or 
"red  dog,"  (sometimes  red  dog  flour)  according  to  color.  White  flour  of  quality  unfit  for 
household  use  is  often  used  in  mashes,  and  when  obtainable  at  about  the  same  price  is  to 
be  preferred  to  middlings. 

A  number  of  mixtures  of  gre^Hcl  feed  stuff!  are  on  the  market,  and  many  users  of  them 
report  good  results;  but  ifts.better  for  the  beginner  who  wants  to  learn  his  business  to 
learn  to  mix  stuffs  before  buying  mixtures,  then  if  a  mixture  needs  to  be  altered  to  suit 
his  purpose  or  the  rest  of  his  ration  he  will  soon  discover  that  fact. 

IV.  Green  and  Vegetable  Foods. 

The  best  of  these,  all  things  considered,  is  cabbage,  but  it  cannot  always  be  obtained  at  a 
satisfactory  price.  Indeed  unless  a  poultrymau  has  laid  in  a  supply  in  the  fall  he  is 
very  uncertain  of  getting  it.  Then  cut  clover  and  alfalfa,  and  clover  and  alfalfa  meal 
make  excellent  green  foods,  and  can  generally  be  obtained  at  reasonable  prices.  Potatoes, 
turnips,  beets,  carrots,  onions,  apples,  etc.,  are  useful  when  on  hand  or  procurable  at  low 
prices. 

V.  Meat  Foods. 

While  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  relative  values  of  meat  foods  exactly,  and  the  quality 
of  articles  of  the  same  name  or  brand  is  not  always  the  same,  green  cut  bone  is  generally 
considered  the  best  of  the  meat  foods,  and  would  probably  be  used  in  preference 
to  any  and  all  others  if  it  could  be  obtained  in  ample  supply  at  a  price  which  would  not 
too  much  increase  the  cost  of  the  ration. 

Most  poultry  keepers  use  more  or  less  of  the  prepared  meat  scraps,  meals,  etc.  There 
are  many  brands  of  these,  and  they  are  of  widely  different  feeding  value. 

VI.  Food  Accessories. 

Shell  seems  to  be  indispensable  for  laying  stock.  Ground  oyster  shell  is  most  commonly 
used. 

Grit  is  generally  given  with  shell,  both  being  kept  before  the  fowls,  but  while  con- 
siderable quantities  of  it  are  often  consumed,  it  does  not  seem  to  be  absolutely  essential 
to  fowls  supplied  with  shell. 

Charcoal  used  as  a  corrective  and  blood  purifier  is  kept  before  the  fowls  in  granulated 
form  by  most  poultrymen. 

Of  condiments,  egg  powders  and  foods,  there  are  many,  and  they  are  very  generally 
used  by  novices,  and  in  a  great  many  cases  seem  to  contribute  enough  to  results  tojustify 
their  use.  Their  virtue  is  in  tonic  and  stimulating  properties.  They  help  correct  the 
novice's  faults  in  feeding. 

VII.  Drinks. 

Fowls  should  be  liberally  supplied  with  good  water.  So  large  a  proportion  of  their  diet 
consists  of  concentrated  foods  that  an  abundance  of  liquid  is  necessary  to  keep  the  digest- 
ive organs  working  freely. 

Milk  —  sweet,  sour,  or  clabber  — may  be  given  them  as  a  drink,  or  mixed  in  the  mash; 
but  as  a  drink,  milk  is  but  a  partial  substitute  for  water,  which  should  always  be 
supplied. 

The  Food  Supplies  for  a  Flock. 

For  economy,  and  a  simple  system  of  feeding,  the  poultryman  should  use  as  few  articles  as 
Is  consistent  with  an  attractive  variety  in  the  ration.  For  his  mash  he  needs  corn  chop  or  meal, 
bran  and  middlings,  or  flour.  Then  if  he  supplies  his  hens  with  green  food  and  meat  food,  as 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  9 

he  should,  one  grain  will  do,  and  if  only  one  grain  is  used,  cracked  corn  is  to  be  preferred  both 
for  its  feeding  value  at  this  season,  and  on  the  score  of  economy.  If  wheat  or  barley  can  be 
had  at  little  more  than  the  price  of  corn,  one  adds  to  his  variety  without  materially  increasing 
the  cost  of  feeding,  by  using  one  or  both,  either  with  the  cracked  corn  in  a  mixture  or  separately 
as  one  meal,  preferably  the  noon  meal. 

For  green  food  he  should  have  either  cabbage  or  cut  hay,  (clover  or  alfalfa),  and  consider 
one  of  these  necessary.  Such  other  vegetables  as  he  can  get  at  a  right  price  should  be  used  in 
addition. 

For  meat  food,  one  article  is  enough  if  it  can  be  had  in  constant  supply,  but  because  of  the 
general  variableness  of  supply  of  green  bone,  and  the  frequent  occasions  when  it  is  incon- 
venient to  prepare  it,  it  is  good  policy  to  keep  a  supply  of  beef  scrap  or  meat  meal  on  hand  for 
such  emergencies. 

Then  of  the  accessories,  shell  is  necessary,  absolutely.  The  consensus  of  opinion  among 
poultry  keepers  is  that  it  is  best  to  have  grit  and  charcoal  also  constantly  before  the  fowls. 

To  sum  up.  The  necessaries  of  life,  when  a  mash  is  used,  are  corn  chop  or  meal,  bran, 
middlings,  cracked  corn,  cabbage,  or  hay,  (clover  or  alfalfa),  one  article  of  meat  food,  shell, 
grit,  charcoal,  and  water. 

To  these  may  be  added  such  other  articles  as  are  available  for  economical  use. 

flethods    of    Feeding. 

Methods  of  feeding  poultry  may  be  classified  as  follows: 

(1).    The  Mash  System,  in  which  a  wet,  scalded,  or  cooked  mash  is  fed  once  each  day,  grain 
being  given  once  or  twice. 
The  mash  may  be  given  : 

(a)  In  the  morning  —  the  common  way. 

(b)  In  the  evening  —  as  an  important  minority  prefer. 

(c)  At  noon  —  the  practice  of  a  very  few. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  time  of  feeding  mash  makes  any  difference  to  the  hens. 
It  is  a  matter  of  the  convenience  of  the  keeper. 
(2).    Dry  Feed  Systems. 

(a)  Dry  mash,  (ingredients  same  as  in  a  wet  mash),  and  grains. 

(b)  All  dry  grains. 

Dry  feeding  is  used  by  many  regularly  where  it  is  inconvenient  to  make  and  feed  a  wet 
mash,  or  when  results  from  the  use  of  mashes  have  been  bad  or  unsatisfactory,  as  they 
often  are  when  badly  prepared,  or  ill  balanced  mashes  are  used,  or  when  something  in 
the  rest  of  the  ration  does  not  work  well  with  a  mash.  It  might  be  used  by  many  more 
occasionally  to  good  advantage;  as  on  an  extremely  cold  day  when  a  wet  mash  would 
freeze  as  soon  as  put  down,  or  for  a  flock  with  mild  chronic  diarrhea. 
The  limits  and  scope  of  this  lesson  do  not  admit  of  a  full  discussion  of  feeding  systems  in  the 

course  of  which  it  is  necessary  to  consider  the  relations  of  the  method  of  feeding  to  each  and 

all  of  the  many  points  affecting  the  welfare  and  productiveness  of  fowls,  but  the  following 

condensed  statement  of  the  subject  may  aid  the  reader  to  decide  what  method  will  best  suit 

him  and  his  circumstances: 

Advantages   of   the    flash. 
The  use  of  a  mash  serves  these  important  purposes : 

(1). —  As  is  indicated  by  the  list  of  ground  grains  given,  and  as  will  appear  more  fully  when 
recipes  for  mashes  are  given,  the  mash  contains  a  variety  of  ingredients,  and  the  propor- 
tions of  these  can  be  varied  greatly,  and  the  consistency  of  the  mash  also  varied  some- 
what, thus  making  it  possible  to  give  considerable  variety  to  the  ration,  as  a  whole,  while 
using  but  one  or  two  grains  for  the  other  meals. 

(2).— The  mash  being  fed  in  troughs  the  feeder  can  gauge  the  quantities  of  it,  and  also  of  the 
other  grains  fed  by  the  appetite  the  fowls  show  for  the  mash  more  accurately  than  in  any 
other  way. 

(3).— Through  the  mash  the  bulk  of  the  ration  may  be  increased,  and  the  concentrated  feed 
stuffs  used  diluted,  (with  hay  and  bran), and  so  rich  foods  used  safely  in  larger  quantities 
than  if  taken  into  the  system  undiluted. 


10  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 

(4). —  Small  potatoes  and  other  waste  vegetable  most  generally  available  for  poultry  food  can 
best  be  fed  in  a  mash. 

Common    Errors  to   be  Avoided   in    Mash    Feeding. 

Whatever  may  be  the  advantages  of  a  method  properly  applied,  faulty  application  of  it 
always  involves  possibilities  of  trouble  which  may  become  serious.  In  mash  feeding  these  are: 
(1). —  Too  concentrated  mashes;  that  is,  mashes  containing  too  large  a  proportion  of  the  richer 

food  elements,  as  meals  and  meat  preparations. 
(2). —  Too  light  and  bulky  mashes,  that  is,  mashes  composed  mostly  of  hay  and  bran,  which  fill 

the  crop  without  supplying  sufficient  nutriment. 
(3). —  Too  wet  and  sloppy  mashes;  and  sour  or  moldy  mashes. 
(4). —  Feeding  mashes  too  often.    Experience  has  shown  that  more  than   one  mash  a  day  to 

adult  fowls  almost  invariably  and  quickly  produces  indigestion. 

Advantages   of   Dry   Feeding. 

In  estimating  the  advantages  of  dry  feeding,  we  have  to  consider  some  of  them  as,  in  a  degree, 
apparent  and  theoretical  rather  than  as  actual,  for  it  becomes  clear,  as  the  case  is  fully  stated, 
that  what  seems  a  saving  of  time  or  labor  is  sometimes  merely  a  shifting  of  labor  fpom  one 
place  to  another.    We  have  then  as  the  nominal  advantages  of  dry  feeding : 
(1).    The  saving  of  labor  in  making  mashes. 
(2).    Avoidance  of  the  dangers  of  improperly  prepared  mashes. 

(3).    Allows  more  variation  in  the  time  of  feeding  the  meal,  which  takes  the  place  of  the  wet 
mash,  and  so  gives  the  keeper  more  freedom. 

Errors  to  be  Avoided  in  Dry  Feeding. 

The  wet,  or  moist,  mash  fed  daily,  provides  daily  one  feed    which   is  practically  a  succulent 
food,  and  if  properly  prepared  is  a  bulky  food.    In  dry  feeding: — If  all  hard  grains  are  fed,  the 
fowls  get  no  extra  bulk  in  them,  and  of  course  no  succulence : —  If  a  dry  mash  is  fed  they  get 
some  increase  of  bulk  without  succulence.    Hence  it  is  apparent  that  in  dry  feeding  unusual 
provision  must  be  made  for  bulky  and  succulent  food  —  especially  green  food.    Taking  this  as 
the  principal  fault  of  the  system,  we  have: 
(1).    Failure  to  supply  sufficient  succulent  food. 
(2).    Waste  of  food  when  ground  grains  are  kept  before  the  fowls  in  open  dishes  or  hoppers. 

Which  System? 

The  writer  has  no  hesitation  in  stating  his  preference  for  the  mash  system  as  in  his  experi- 
ence and  opinion  the  better  system  for  most  poultry  keepers.  He  would  therefore  advise 
beginners  to  use  that  system  unless  such  greater  convenience  as  dry  feeding  gives  fitted  into 
their  days'  routine  better. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  the  two  systems  are  nearly  identical  for  all  but  one  meal  a  day,  and 
reduced  to  the  last  analysis  the  difference  between  them  may  be  broadly  stated  thus : — 

The  use  of  a  good  wet  or  moist  mash  containing  a  variety  of  ingredients,  makes  it  necessary  to 
give  more  time  and  care  to  the  preparation  of  this  one  meal,  but  in  it  provision  is  made  for 
requirements  of  the  fowl  which  when  only  dry  feeds  are  given  must  regularly  be  specially 
provided  for.  The  omission  of  a  mash,  or  substitution  of  a  mixture  of  ground  grains  dry, 
makes  an  economy  with  reference  to  the  feeding  of  one  meal  each  day,  but  makes  it  imper- 
ative that  vegetable  foods  in  abundance  should  be  provided  at  other  times. 


As  the  careful  reader  will  doubtless  have  observed,  the  two  systems  supply  the  requirements 
of  the  fowls  in  different  ways.  Each  is  in  effect  an  offset  for  the  faults  of  the  other.  The  prac- 
tice of  the  most  skillful  feeders  is  in  effect  ajudicious  blending  of  the  systems.  Some  of  the 
most  enthusiastic  advocates  of  dry  feeding  push  it,  not  as  the  best  method,  but  as  easier  and 
safer  for  the  beginner.  As  there  is  nothing  about  poultry  feeding  too  deep  or  too  hard  for  am- 
one  of  ordinary  intelligence  who  gives  the  subject  of  feeding  a  little  careful  attention  and  notes 
the  effects  of  his  feeding  on  his  fowls,  the  better  policy  would  seem  to  be  to  learn  to  properly 
apply  the  mash  system — unless,  as  previously  stated  —  circumstances  make  it  too  inconvenient 
to  work  by  that  method. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  11 

A    Few    Good    Sample     Rations. 

Having  learned  something  of  common  food  stuffs  and  their  properties,  we  are  ready  to  begin 
to  feed  fowls  intelligently;  that  is,  with  some  appreciation  of  the  reasons  for  doing  things  in 
the  way  we  do  them.  The  reader  should  keep  it  clearly  in  mind  all  the  time  that  while  there 
are  many  possible  rations  that  will  give  good  results,  there  are  also  many  combinations  possible 
that  will  not  give  good  results,  and  the  way  for  the  beginner  to  avoid  a  bad  combination  is  to 
follow  some  one  approved  method,  not  attempting,  as  many  do,  to  improve  on  the  experts  by 
combining  features  of  different  rations  that  have  given  good  results.  The  sample  rations  given 
will  cover  all  ordinary  conditions,  and  the  reader  working  by  these  lessons  is  advised  to  select 
that  which  suits  him  best,  and  follow  it  as  closely  as  he  can,  departing  from  it  only  when  he  is 
absolutely  sure  that  the  change  he  makes  cannot  affect  his  results  for  the  worse. 

Let  us  take  up  first  a  few  rations  including  a  mash.  As  has  been  stated,  it  makes  no  differ- 
ence to  the  fowls  when  the  mash  is  fed.  The  feeder  may  time  it  to  suit  his  convenience.  The 
time  of  feeding  the  mash  may,  however,  make  a  difference  in  the  other  meals. 

Taking  for  our  first  illustration  one  of  the  most  common  rations  in  use,  we  have: — 
Ration  I.    Morning. — Mash  of  corn  meal,  bran,  and  beef  scrap. 
Noon.— Wheat,  barley,  oats,  or  millet. 
Evening. — Cracked  corn. 

Cabbage  supplied  practically  all  the  time. 
Grit  and  shell  always  before  the  fowls. 

In  this  ration  the  morning  and  evening  feeds  are  "  full  feeds;  "  that  is,  the  fowls  are  given 
all  they  will  eat.  The  noon  feed  is  a  light  feed,  say  half  as  much  as  the  evening  feed  of  grain. 
The  grains  are  fed  scattered  in  litter  spread  over  the  floor  of  the  house,  so  that  the  fowls  have 
to  scratch  for  them. 

If  now,  one  using  the  ingredients  in  this  ration  wished  to  feed  the  mash  in  the  evening,  he 
could  simply  transpose  the  morning  and  evening  meals,  making  his  system : — 

Ration  II.    Morning. — Cracked  corn. 

Noon. — Wheat,  barley,  oats,  or  millet. 

Evening.— Mash  of  corn  meal,  bran,  and  beef  scrap. 

Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  I. 

But  if  he  wanted  to  feed  the  mash  at  noon  it  might  be  necessary  to  make  some  changes. 
For  instance, — in  either  of  the  rations  given  above,  millet  or  oats,  both  light  feeds,  and  not 
eaten  freely  by  fowls,  can  be  used  to  good  advantage  at  noon  when,  with  full  feeds  morning 
and  evening,  only  a  light  feed  is  needed.  But  if  the  mash  is  given  at  noon,  and  made  a  light 
feed,  both  the  other  feeds  must  be  full  feeds,  and  neither  oats  nor  millet  is  suitable  for  regular 
use  as  a  full  feed.  So  the  ration  with  a  noon  mash  must  be  like  this : 

Ration  III.    Morning.— Wheat  or  barley. 

Noon. — Mash  of  corn  meal,  bran,  and  beef  scraps. 
Evening.—  Cracked  corn. 

Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  I. 

In  this  ration  (a)  the  morning  and  evening  feeds  of  grain  should  be  full  feeds,  and  the  mash 
at  noon  a  light  feed  or  half  feed,  that  is,  about  half  wheat,  the  fowls  will  eat  freely  ;  or  (b)  all 
three  feeds  should  be  rather  scant  feeds.  I  would  advise  beginners  not  to  use  the  noon  mash 
unless  for  special  and  urgent  reasons,  for  I  think  it  is  more  difficult  to  keep  fowls'  appetites 
steady  when  the  mash  is  fed  at  noon. 


Instead  of  feeding  one  grain  at  a  time,  several  grains  may  be  mixed  together,  and  the  mix- 
ture fed  once  or  twice  a  day.  Suppose  we  make  this  change  in  each  of  the  rations  given, 
designating  our  substitutes  by  the  same  numbers  with  the  letter  A  added.  Then  we  have: 

Ration  I.    A.    Morning.— Mash  as  in  Ration  I. 

Noon. — Mixture  cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts,  (a  half  feed). 
Evening.— Cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts,  (a  full  feed). 
Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  I. 


12  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Ration  II.  A.    Morning. — Cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts,  (a  full  feed). 
Noon. — Cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts,  (a  half  feed). 
Evening. — Mash  as  in  Ration  II. 

Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  I. 

Ration  III.  A.    Morning.— Cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts. 
Noon.— Mash  as  in  Ration  III. 
Evening.— Cracked  corn  and  wheat,  equal  parts. 
Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  I. 

Making  a  Mash. 
No.  1.     A  Grain  and  Meat  Mash.— 

To  make  the  rnash  used  in  the  above  ration,  making  it  in  small  quantities,  and  by  a  method 
calling  for  nothing  special  in  the  way  of  utensils,  proceed  as  follows: 

For  as  much  mash  as  can  be  readily  mixed  in  an  ordinary  3  gallon  pail  (preferably  a  pail  of 
heavy  tin,  galvanized  iron  or  granite  ware),  take  2  quarts  of  corn  meal  in  the  pail.  Have  a 
kettle  of  boiling  water  ready.  Pour  the  water  slowly  over  the  meal  in  the  pail,  as  you  pour 
stirring  with  a  long  handled  iron  spoon.  Pour  on  water  and  stir  until  you  have  a  stiff  smooth 
mash. 

Now  take  the  bran— about  3  quarts  at  first  and  stir  it  in,  adding  a  little  more  if  you  find  you 
can  mix  it.  Perhaps  it  will  take  a  quart  more,  and  if  the  water  was  boiling  and  the  meal 
swelled  right,  your  mash  should  now  be  a  stiff  and  rather  brittle  dough.  Now  put.in  the  beef 
scraps  or  meat  meal  you  wish  to  feed  in  the  mash.  The  quantity  you  can  use  will  depend  on 
the  character  of  the  article,  and  also  on  the  remainder  of  the  ration  and  the  constitution  of  the 
fowls,  but  in  general  fowls  given  all  their  meat  food  in  the  mash  will  take  meat  scraps  or  meal 
to  the  amount  of  about  8  or  10%  of  the  dry  bulk  of  the  grain  stuffs  in  the  mash,  That  would 
be  in  this  case,  say  about  a  pint  of  scraps.  In  many  cases  twice  as  much  scrap  may  be  given  to 
advantage,  but  the  above  proportions  are  safe. 

Having  put  in  the  beef  scrap,  stir  until  it  seems  to  be  thoroughly  mixed.    The  mash  is  now 
ready  to  feed. 
No.  2.    A  Vegetable  Mash.— 

We  will  call  this  a  vegetable  mash  because  the  addition  of  cooked  vegetables  is  all  that  makes 
it  different  from  mash  No  1.  Any  waste  vegetables  or  parings  can  go  into  it.  Cook  them  in 
water  until  they  are  quite  soft  and  will  break  up  readily  with  the  spoon  when  mixed  with  the 
other  ingredients.  For  a  pail  full  of  mash  take  about  3  or  4  quarts  of  vegetables.  When 
ready  to  mix  the  mash,  have  the  meal  in  the  pail  as  in  mash  No.  1,  and  pour  the  boiling  water 
from  the  vegetables  on  it  and  stir  as  before.  Then  stir  in  the  vegetables,  bran  and  meat 
scraps  as  before. 
No.  3.  A  Clover  or  Alfalfa  Mash.— 

In  this  cut  clover  or  clover  meal  —or  alfalfa  or  alfalfa  meal  —  is  used  instead  of  vegetables. 
Two  or  three  quarts  of  the  cut  dry  hay  may  be  used  in  a  pail  full  of  mash,  and  when  hay  is 
used  the  quantity  of  bran  should  be  reduced  until  the  meal  and  bran  are  about  equal.  The 
cut  hay  may  be  stirred  into  the  mixture  at  almost  any  stage.  It  may  be  cooked  for  a  few 
minutes  in  the  water  in  a  pot  and  the  corn  meal  stirred  into  the  water,  or  mixed  in  after  the 
meal  or  after  the  bran  or  with  the  bran. 

A  Dry  Grain   Ration. 

Ration IV.  Morning  and  Evening. — Mixed  grain  as  in  ration  III.  A. 

Noon. —  Cabbage. 

Beef  scrap,  etc.,  in  hoppers  accessible  at  all  times. 

This  ration  could  be  varied  by  using  one  grain  in  the  morning  and  another  in  the  evening; 
or  if  fresh  meat,  raw  or  cooked,  or  cut  bone  was  used,  the  noon  feed  might  be  alternately 
cabbage  and  meat,  but  the  substantial  meals  of  the  day  must  be  given  morning  and  evening. 

Dry  Mash   Rations. 

In  these  a  mash  made  of  the  same  grain  ingredients  in  the  same  proportions  as  the  mash 
in  Rations  I.,  II.,  and  III.,  may  be  used.  The  meat  may  be  mixed  with  the  dry  grains  or 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  13 

fed  separately.  If  mixed  with  them  we  could  substitute  the  dry  for  the  wet  mash  in  each  of 
these  rations.  For  conveneince  and  future  reference  we  will  repeat  these  rations  here, 
making  the  substitution.  We  have  then: 

Ration  V.    Morning.  —  Dry  mash  of  corn  meal,  bran,   and  beef  scrap. 
tfoon. —  Wheat,  barley,  oats  or  millet. 
Evening.— Cracked  corn. 
Cabbage,  grit,  and  shell  always   before  the  fowls. 

Ration  VI.    Morning.— Cracked  corn. 

Noon.— Wheat,  barley,  oats,  or  millet. 

Evening.  —  Dry    mash   of  corn   meal,  bran,  and  beef  scraps. 
Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  V. 

Ration  VII.     Morning.— Wheat  or  barley. 

Noon.—  Mash   of  corn  meal,  bran,  and  beef  scrap. 
Evening.— Cracked  corn. 

Cabbage,  etc.,  as  in  Ration  V. 

Before  bringing  this  lesson  to  a  close,  I  will  give  one  more  ration,  including  dry  feed  fed 
in  a   hopper: 

Ration  VIII.      Morning  and  Evening.  —  Mixed  grain,  1  part  wheat,  1  part  barley,  2  parts 
cracked  corn. 

Ground   mixture,  equal  parts  corn  and  oats,  one-half  bran  added,  always 
before  the  fowls  in  hoppers. 

Cabbage,  grit  and   shell   always  accessible. 

This  last  is  a  ration   for  one  who  has  little  time  to  give  his  poultry.    Its  simple  aim  is 
to  insure  that  the  fowls  will  have  enough  to  eat  and  a  fair  variety  in  food. 


14  FIRST    LKSSOXS    IN    POULTliY 


LESSON    II. 


The  "  Hows  "  and  "Whys"  of  Feeding  Laying  Stock 

in  Winter. 


IN  THE  preceding  lesson  we  discussed  poultry  food  stuffs  and  the  systems  of  feeding  with 
relation  to  their  effect  on  the  composition  of  rations.  In  this  lesson  we  are  to  take  up 
another  class  of  questions  on  feeding,  and  try  to  give  readers  a  useful  understanding  of 
these  three  topics : — 

How  often  to  feed. 
How  much  to  feed. 
The  relation  of  exercise  to  diet. 

These  three  matters  blend  inseparably  in  practice,  and  we  can  hardly  exclude  anyone  of  them 
from  a  discussion  of  another.  Yet  to  appreciate  them  correctly  one  must  separate  them  more 
in  his  mind  than  he  can  in  bis  work. 

How    Often    to    Feed. 

Perhaps  many  are  thinking  that  as  all  but  one  of  the  rations  given  in  Lesson  I.  provide  for 
three  meals  a  day,  the  question  of  how  often  to  feed  is  almost  superfluous.  It  might  be  so  con- 
sidered if  everyone  was  so  situated  that  he  could  give  his  hens  three  feeds,  corresponding  to  his 
own  three  meals,  a  day,  but  a  great  many  poultry  keepers  cannot  do  this,  so  want  to  know 
what  other  arrangement  is  practicable. 

For  the  short  winter  days  two  feeds  a  day  would  generally  give  as  good  results  as  three,  but 
for  one  thing — the  difficulty  of  keeping  fowls  in  confinement  interested  in  something,  and  out 
of  mischief  when  there  is  too  long  an  interval  between  feeds.  Idle  fowls  contract  vices  of 
various  kinds —  such  as  feather  and  egg  eating  —  besides  gradually  going  out  of  condition  from 
want  of  exercise.  So  whenever  it  is  practicable  to  do  so,  it  is  advisable  to  give  some  sort  of 
light  feed  in  the  middle  of  the  day. 

If,  however,  it  is  not  convenient  to  do  this,  the  noon  feed  may  be  either  omitted  or  fed  in  the 
morning.  Thus,  in  Ration  I.,  the  mash  may  1>e  fed  in  the  morning,  and  the  grain  for  the  noon 
feed  fed  at  the  same  time,  scattered  in  litter,  and  the  fowls  have  something  to  keep  them 
occupied  through  the  greater  part  of  the  day.  When  cabbage  or  mangels  are  kept  before  the 
fowls,  these  things  help  to  keep  them  occupied.  'So  we  may  say  that,  provided  some  provision 
Is  made  to  give  the  fowls  something  to  occupy  their  attention  between  regular  meals,  two  meals 
will  work  as  well  in  winter  as  three. 

Feeding  Once  a  Day. —  J  have  had  occasional  reports  from  poultry  keepers  who  could 
give  their  fowls  attention  only  once  each  day,  some  in  the  morning  and  some  in  the  evening, 


FIRST    LEM.SOXH    /A'    POULTRY    KEEPING.  15 

and  these  sometimes  are  able  to  report  good  result*,  but,  as  a  rule,  those  who  get  good  winter 
egg  yields  look  after  the  fowls  oftener  and  regularly.  One  who  has  time  to  look  after  his  fowls 
in  the  morning  only  may  arrange  this  way  : — 

Mash,  to  be  eaten  at  once,  followed  by  grain  for  the  remainder  of  the  day,  thrown  in 
litter,  and  eaten  as  the  fowls  work  for  it. 
One  who  has  only  the  evening  to  attend  his  fowls  by  daylight  may  use  this  plan : — 

Grain,  to  give  a  full  feed  in  the  morning,  and  something  left  to  scratch  for  until 
well  into  the  afternoon,  may  be  thrown  into  the  Utter  on  the  floor,  either  after  the 
fowls  go  to  roost  at  night  or  before  daylight  in  the  morning.  Then  the  evening  mash 
may  be  given  just  before  dark. 

Obstacles  to  Poultry  Keeping  When  One  Cannot  Watch  the  Fowls.— The  principal 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  poultry  keeping  when  one  can  give  so  little  attention  to  the  fowls  by 
daylight  come  in  in  connection  with  other  matters  than  the  feeding  of  grain  and  mashes.  Proper 
ventilation  of  a  closed  house  :s  almost  impossible  when  the  poultry  keeper  is  away  all  day,  and 
it  is  a  problem  to  keep  water  from  freezing  in  a  cold  house.  One  who  can  attend  to  his  fowls 
at  noon  can  replenish  the  water  supply,  but  one  who  cannot  must  use  some  kind  of  "anti-freez- 
ing" fountain. 

On  the  whole  I  would  not  advise  anyone  to  attempt  much  with  poultry  or  encourage  them  to 
expect  much  from  hens  in  winter  unless  the  hens  can  have  pretty  good  attention,  for  taking  one 
flock  and  one  year  with  another  the  winter  egg  yields  are  in  proportion  to  the  judicious  atten- 
tion given  the  flock.  Hence,  if  the  poultry  keeper  cannot  make  provision  for  some  member  of 
his  family  to  attend  to  such  wants  of  his  fowls  as  he  cannot  look  after,  he  must  not  think  that 
failure  to  get  results  indicates  something  wrong  with  the  fowls,  the  house,  or  the  ration. 

How  Much  to  Feed. 

This  question  seems  to  cause  beginners  more  worry  than  any  other  connected  with  the  subject 
of  feeding.  They  flnd  it  hard  to  understand  why  fowls  cannot  be  fed  exactly  by  weight  or 
measure.  An  explanation  of  this  would  require  a  much  more  exhaustive  treatment  of  the  sub- 
ject than  is  appropriate  in  an  elementary  lesson;  and  the  student  must  accept  the  fact  and  wait 
for  experience  and  later  lessons  to  furnish  the  explanation  of  it.  An  experienced  feeder  can 
tell  a  novice  approximately  how  much  to  feed  to  average  or  medium  sized  hens. 

How  Much  Mash.— Mashes  vary  so  much  in  composition  and  consistency  that  the  best  rule 
that  can  be  given  is  :— all  they  will  eat  up  clean  and  quickly,  that  is  in,  say,  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes. 

Some  poultrymen  leave  mash  before  the  fowls  for  several  hours,  or  even  give  so  much  thai 
they  will  not  eat  the  last  of  it  until  noon,  but  it  is  better  to  give  only  what  they  will  eat  quickly 
and  let  them  have  grain,  cabbage  or  roots  to  supplement  it  through  the  day  than  to  give  so 
much  mash. 

If  fowls  do  not  eat  mash  readily  and  freely,  it  is  either  because  the  mash  is  not  palatable,  or 
because  the  previous  feed  was  too  heavy,  or  the  interval  between  the  meals  not  long  enough. 
Generally,  a  dozen  fowls  will  eat  about  three  pints  of  the  No.  1  mash,  (Lesson  I.)  and  a  third 
to  a  half  more  of  No.  2  or  No.  3  mash. 

How  Much  Grain.— When  grain  is  fed  where  the  fowls  can  get  it  quickly,  and  with  little 
effort,  a  pint  is  a  fair  allowance  for  eight  or  ten  fowls.  When  it  is  fed  in  deep  litter  more 
than  a  full  allowance  must  be  in  the  litter  if  the  fowls  are  to  get  their  full  feed  A  ithin  a  reason- 
able lime.  In  that  case  give  about  a  quart  to  a  dozen  fowls.  Thus  in  using  Ration  I. 
(Lesson  I.)  give  at  the  rate  of  a  quart  of  cracked  corn  to  the  dozen  fowls,  giving  the  corn  in 
litter  at  least  an  hour  before  sundown.  Then  the  fowls  can  get  a  full  feed  before  dark,  while 
what  is  left  in  the  litter  furnishes  them  something  to  work  for  in  the  morning,  both  before  and 
after  the  mash  is  fed ;  while  in  Ration  No.  IV.,  a  quart  of  grain  given  in  the  morning  furnishes 
a  good  meal  within  an  hour  or  so,  and  leaves  something  for  the  fowls  to  scratch  for  until  the 
evening  mea!  is  given. 


16  FIRST    LE8SON8    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 

How  Much  Meat  and  Bone.—  If  sound  sweet  food  of  this  class  is  fed  regularly  and 
often  it  is  generally  safe  to  give  the  fowls  all  they  will  eat,  if  the  meat  food  is  fed  separately. 
Fresh  meat  may  he  used  very  freely  in  the  mash,  but  the  dried  concentrated  meat  products 
must  be  used  with  some  caution.  (See  "  Making  a  Mash,"  in  Lesson  I.) 

How  Much  Vegetable  Food.—  In  winter  it  is  practically  impossible  to  feed  too  much 
vegetable  food  to  fowls  well  fed  on  grain,  because  the  appetite  does  not  demand  it,  and 
they  will  eat  green  stuffs  in  much  more  limited  quantities  than  in  hot  weather  when  heavy 
grain  rations  required  to  make  eggs  and  growth  are  so  heating  that  the  fowls  by  choice 
fill  up  on  green  food  which  keeps  them  more  comfortable,  but  does  not  always  accomplish  the 
results  the  poultryman  is  trying  to  get. 

Good   Feeding  Means  Heavy  Feeding. 

The  longer  I  practice  and  study  poultry  feeding,  and  the  more  I  see  of  the  results  of  the  feed- 
Ing  of  others,  the  more  I  am  convinced  that  the  best  feeding  is  not  the  most  carefully  adjusted 
ration,  but  the  ration  and  the  method  that  provides  the  fowls  a  little  more  than  enough  under 
conditions  which  require  them  to  work  for  enough  of  what  they  get  to  give  them  the  exercise 
they  need  to  keep  them  in  good  condition. 

A  fowl  can  let  a  surplus  alone,  but  has  no  way  of  making  up  a  shortage— at  least  none  that  is 
satisfactory  to  the  owner. 

As  between  feeding  short  and  overfeeding,  I  have  seen  good  egg  yields  come  oftener  from  the 
hitter,  especially  with  young  stock;  but  there  is  little  danger  of  bad  effects  from  overfeeding  if 
fowls  have  to  take  exercise  by  scratching  for  several  hours  a  day. 

Points  to  Consider  in  Determining  Quantity  in  Feeding. 

In  deciding  how  much  to  feed,  the  poultryman  has  in  the  fowl  itself  three  guides,  three  things 
that  should  furnish  indications  whether  he  is  feeding  right.  These  in  the  order  in  which  it  is 
most  natural  to  use  them  are:— (1)  appetite,  (2)  results,  (3)  condition. 

Appetite.— The  fowls  should  be  ready  and  eager  for  each  feed,  even  the  light  noon  feed.  If 
they  are  not  there  should  be  either  a  change  of  time  of  feeding  or  a  reduction  of  the  quantity 
given  at  the  preceding  feed.  Frequently,  poultrymen  who  feed  the  mash  very  early  in  the 
morning  find  that  the  hens  do  not  seem  to  care  for  it  at  that  time,  though  an  hour,  or  even  a 
half  hour  later,  they  will  eat  it  readily.  If  the  mash  must  be  fed  early,  the  night  feed  should 
be  reduced  until  they  will  eat  the  mash,  but  it  will  generally  work  better  to  give  the  full  feed  of 
grain  at  night,  and  delay  feeding  the  mash  until  the  sun  is  well  up. 

Results  and  Condition. — If  hens  are  laying  well,  the  presumption  is  that  the  feeding  is 
about  right.  In  that  case  the  point  to  watch  is  to  see  that  the  hens  have  food  enough  to  keep 
them  in  good  condition  while  laying.  A  hen  that  is  in  laying  condition  can  hardly  be  overfed. 
If  hens  that  presumably  should  be  laying  are  not,  the  keeper  should  -ascertain  their  condition  by 
handling  them.  If  not  plump  and  solid  they  should  be  given  more  food,  and  richer  food.  If 
overfat  they  should  be  put  on  a  diet  of  grain,  and  made  to  scratch  for  what  they  get  until  flesh  is 
reduced.  Egg  production  does  not,  however,  depend  entirely  upon  feeding,  and  the  most  that 
the  poultryman  can  do  is  to  keep  his  hens  as  nearly  as  possible  in  laying  condition— that  is,  fat, 
but  not  so  much  so  that  the  abdomen  is  packed  with  fat,  and  the  hen  either  becomes  sluggish 
or  breaks  down. 

Exercise  and  Feeding. 

Exercise  by  Scratching.— Throughout  northerly  latitudes  the  general  provision  for  giving 
fowls  exercise  is  by  littering  the  floors  of  the  houses  with  straw,  hay,  leaves,  cut  corn  stalks,  or 
any  material  in  which  the  grain  will  bury  itself,  or  with  which  it  can  be  covered,  so  that  the 
fowls  must  scratch  for  it.  The  proper  use  of  litter  calls  for  the  same  exercise  of  judgment  as 
the  adjustment  of  the  meals  or  the  determination  of  the  proportions  of  the  ingredients  of  the 
ration.  Though  errors  both  ways  are  numerous,  the  prevailing  tendency  is  to  use  too  much 
litter  and  compel  too  much  exercise,— to  make  it  so  hard  for  the  fowls  to  get  feed  that  they 


FIR  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  17 

will  work  only  for  what  is  necessary  to  sustain  life.  One  reason  why  some  people  get  better 
results  from  evening  mash  is  because  the  fowls  get  a  full  feed  before  going  to  roost,  when  if  fed 
in  litter  (as  they  use  it)  they  cannot  get  a  good  meal,  or  cannot  get  it  in  the  time  allowed  them. 
Generally  speaking,  the  depth  of  any  loose  and  easily  worked  litter  should  not  be  less  than 
three  or  four,  and  not  more  than  six  inches. 

Exercise  by  Jumping. —  A  practice  handed  down  since  before  the  days  when  scratching 
litter  was  generally  provided,  is  to  hang  a  cabbage  or  fasten  a  root  of  beet  or  a  piece  of  meat 
just  out  of  reach  of  the  fowls  so  that  to  get  at  it  they  must  jump  for  every  mouthful.  I  think 
this  form  of  exercise  of  questionable  value.  A  heavy  hen  carrying  a  lot  of  partly  developed 
eggs  is  likely  to  be  averse  to  taking  exercise  that  way,  or,  if  she  does  try  it,  to  hurt  herself,  and  it 
appears  that,  sometimes  jumping  for  exercise  is  responsible  for  the  prevalence  in  a  flock  of  corns 
and  bumble  foot,  particularly  when  that  is  the  only  exercise  provided,  and  the  floors  are  not 
littered. 

Exercise    for   Occupation. 

So  far  we  have  considered  exercise,  especially  with  reference  to  its  effects  on  the  condition 
of  the  fowl,  and  as  a  check  to  rapid  feeding.  It  serves  another  purpose  which  indirectly  has 
quite  an  important  relation  to  the  matter  of  feeding  as  well  as  to  production.  The  fowl  with 
something  to  do  keeps  busy  much  of  the  time  and  is  contented.  With  moderate  exercise  fowls 
probably  more  completely  digest  and  assimilate  their  food,  and  are  productive  and  keep  in  good 
condition  on  less  food  either  than  when  not  taking  any  exercise  or  when  taking  too  much 
exercise.  Contentment  aids  digestion  and  economizes  food.  But  we  need  not  depend  solely 
upon  exercise  dependent  upon  eating.  Fowls  given  the  opportunity  to  do  so  will  take  vigorous 
exercise  dusting  themselves.  In  fact,  when  the  sun  shines  in  on  the  earth  floor  they  will  work 
and  wallow  there  by  the  hour,  and  this  exercise  does  them  just  as  much  good  as  scratching. 
So  occasionally  on  bright  days  rake  the  litter  clean  from  a  space  on  the  floor  where  the  sun 
shines,  and  give  the  fowls  a  chance  to  put  variety  into  their  exercise. 


18  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 


LESSON    III. 


General  Principles  and  Rules  for  Poultry  Breeders. 


LET  us  first  understand  clearly  that  a  poultry  keeper  is  not  necessarily  a  poultry  breeder. 
The  terms  poultry  keeper,  poultryman,  poultry  raiser,  poultry  grower,  and  poultry 
breeder,  are  commonly  used  as  synonymous,  but  with  the  exception  of  poultry  raiser 
and  poultry  grower,  they  are  not  wholly  so. 
Poultry  keeper  applies  to  anyone  who  keeps  poultry,  without  regard  to  experience,  skill, 

or  success. 

Poultryman  applies  to  a  poultry  keeper  considered  as  in  some  degree  an  expert. 
Poultry  raiser  and  poultry  grower  apply  to  persons  merely  hatching  and  rearing  poultry. 
Poultry  breeder  applies  to  those  who  regulate  the  reproduction  of  poultry. 
One  person  may  combine  all  these  functions,  but  the  number  who  do  actually  combine  them 
is  very  much  less  than  the  whole  number  of  poultry  keepers. 

1  have  been  thus  explicit  in  defining  these  terms  because  the  first  step  toward  right  apprecia- 
tion of  what  poultry  breeding  demands  is  correct  understanding  of  what  poultry  breeding 
means.  The  breeder  of  a  fowl  is  the  person  responsible  for  the  mating  of  its  parents.  The 
matter  of  firs-t  and  greatest  importance  in  the  breeding  of  poultry  is  that  the  breeder  should 
know  something  of  the  natural  laws  affecting  his  work,  should  understand  in  a  general  way  the 
principles  upon  which  breeding  systems,  methods  and  rules  are  based  ;  should  know  the  char- 
acteristics and  tendencies  of  the  breed,  variety,  stock  and  individuals  with  which  he  works, 
and  should  apply  his  knowledge  with  judgment,  faithfully  and  persistently. 

This  list  of  qualifications  for  poultry  breeding  may  have  a  formidable  look,  but  let  no  beginner 
be  therefore  discouraged.  One  need  not  be  all  this  at  the  beginning.  Indeed  the  list  of  qual- 
ifications presents  an  ideal  rather  than  the  complement  of  knowledge  and  experience  which 
even  the  most  skillful  breeder  brings  to  his  work.  Besides,  these  qualifications  only  come  and 
grow  by  experience  and  use.  No  man  ever  had  or  can  have  a  respectable  practical  knowledge 
of  what  a  breeder  must  know  without  experience  in  breeding.  Still  a  beginner  need  not  feel 
discouraged  by  a  realization  of  how  much  he  falls  short  of  the  knowledge  and  hkill  of  the  expert 
breeder.  As  the  saying  goes,  "What  man  has  done  man  can  do,"  and  a  few  years  of  study, 
observation,  and  experiment  in  breeding  poultry  often  make  a  man  a  very  good  breeder. 

Two  General  Facts  of  First  Importance. 

The  first  broad  fact  to  be  considered  in  connection  with  the  breeding  of  poultry  is:— 

That  our  varieties  of  poultry  are  all  bred  to  artificial  standards,  to  arbitrary,  and 
often  unnatural,  requirements;  that  specimens  perfect  according  to  any  such  standard 
are  virtually  unknown;  that  in  all  varieties  there  are  wide  variations  in  individuals; 
that  only  a  small  proportion  of  an  average  good  flock  are  of  special  excellence;  and 
that  a  considerable  number  are  not  suited  for  breeding  specimens  of  their  own  kind 
true  to  type. 


FIRST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  19 

This  group  of  facts,  which  is  given  above  as  one  general  fact,  Is  self-evident  to  tbe  breeder  of 
several  years  experience,  but  is  so  at  variance  with  the  common  ideas  of  persons  iut  familiar 
with  the  history  and  methods  of  the  improvement  of  domestic  animals  and  plants,  that  it  needs 
to  be  specially  emphasized  here. 

Tbe  idea  prevails  that  breeds,  varieties,  strains  and  stocks  of  fowls  are  fixed,  established  so 
well  that  a  poultryman  who  wishes  to  use  a  certain  kind  of  stock  has  only  to  get  that  kind  of 
stock  and  all  will  be  plain  sailing.  That  this  is  not  the  case  the  novice  discovers  very  early  in 
his  work,  but  too  often  fails  to  realize  what  his  discovery  means.  He  frequently  blames  the 
breeder  of  the  stock  he  begins  with  or  the  stock  itself  for  unsatisfactory  results,  tries  other  stock 
with  similar  results,  and  perhaps  repeats  the  process  several  times  before  he  discovers  our 
second  important  general  fact,  which  is:— 

That  any  grade  of  excellence  attained  in  the  breeding  of  poultry  can  only  be  main- 
tained or  excelled  by  continuing  the  same  careful  selection  by  which  such  excellence 
was  developed. 

A  beginner  cannot  expect  or  be  expected  to  do  work  that  will  rival  that  of  the  experienced 
breeder  in  the  production  of  fine  fowls,  but  he  may  easily  produce  fowls  that  if  not  of  high 
excellence  in  the  special  features  of  their  kind  are  stih  good  fowls,  and  using  the  experience 
and  results  of  expert  breeders  and  relying  upon  their  advice,  he  may  produce  fowls  of  very 
good  breed  or  variety  type. 

The  First  Principle. 

The  foundation  principle  in  all  breeding  to  type  or  standard  is,  "Like  begets  like."  This  does 
not  mean  that  all  fowls  of  one  breed  or  variety  are  exact  duplicates.  What  it  means  is,  that 
the  qualities  and  characteristics  of  each  individual  fowl  are  derived  from  its  ancestors  and 
chiefly  from  its  immediate  ancestors. 

This  is  one  of  those  statements  which  at  first  may  seem  so  self-evident  as  to  make  insistence 
upon  it,  or  emphasis  of  the  fact  it  declares  absurd.  To  most  beginners  it  seems  like  an  insult 
to  their  intelligence  to  ask  them  to  give  the  matter  special  consideration.  But  the  beginner,  no 
matter  how  clearly  he  may  see  the  logic  of  the  statement,  cannot  understand  its  real  significance 
until  he  begins  to  study  fowls  for  the  purpose  of  mating  them  to  produce  what  he  wants  in 
their  progeny. 

Then  he  finds  that  with  breed  resemblances  go  variety  differences,  with  variety  resemblances 
go  strain  or  family  differences,  with  strain  or  family  resemblances  go  individual  differences. 

These  individual  differences  are  of  varying  character  and  value,  and  mark  the  fowl  as  an 
ordinary  or  a  superior  or  an  inferior  specimen ;  or  as  ordinary,  superior  or  inferior  in  a  par- 
ticular character  or  characters. 

A  fowl  that  is  in  all  points  ideal  is  so  rarely  produced  that  practically  we  do  not  have  to  con- 
sider the  production  of  a  union  of  two  ideal  specimens.  What  we  have  to  do  is  to  consider 
how  to  get  fowls  as  nearly  as  possible  of  the  type  which  is  our  ideal  from  fowls  which  while  in 
a  general  way  of  that  type  depart  from  it  in  some  particulars. 

In  practice  the  mating  of  fowls  finally  becomes  a  carefully  studied  system  of  balancing  desir- 
able and  undesirable  characters,  of  offsetting  lack  of  development  in  a  certain  feature  in  one 
fowl  by  a  full,  or  perhaps  an  exaggerated  development  of  that  feature  in  Its  mate  or  mates  of 
the  opposite  sex,  of  securing  certain  points  as  a  result  of  the  union  of  fowls  in  which  these 
points  differ.  All  our  established  breeds  and  varieties  of  fowls  have  been  made  by  breeders 
working  in  this  way  toward  common  ideals.  Fowls  that  are  not  pure  bred  are  for  the  most 
part  results  of  breeding  in  which  no  intelligent  selection  was  used,  and  as  a  rule  will  not  trans- 
mit their  characteristics  with  any  such  regularity  and  uniformity  as  is  found  even  in  ordinary 
thoroughbred  stock.  Because  of  this  it  is  much  better  for  a  beginner  in  breeding  poultry  to 
begin  breeding  thoroughbreds  than  to  waste  his  time  with  crosses  or  mongrels.  For  though 
the  laws  of  breeding  are  always  the  same,  the  results  of  these  laws  in  crosses  and  mixtures  are 
often  so  confused  that  the  breeder  makes  no  progress  either  in  the  development  of  his  stock  or 
in  knowledge  of  the  subject. 

Selection  of  Breeding  Stock. 

The  first  step  in  breeding  upon  the  principle  that  like  produces  like,  is  the  selection  of  indi- 
vidual specimens  considered  most  suitable  for  the  production  of  offspring  of  the  desired  type 
and  quality.  Selection  should  be  based  on  the  following  points: 


20  FIKST    LE  IS  SONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

1.  Constitutional  Vigor  and  Physical  Perfection. — Ouly  healthy,  vigorous  specimens 
should  be  used  for  breeding  purposes.    No  deformed  or  seriously  malformed  specimen  should 
be  used  for  breeding.    There  are  some  minor  malformations  not  in  any  way  affecting  the  health, 
vigor  or  practical  usefulness  of  the  fowl  which  should  be  treated  as  defects  to  be  offset  in  the 
mate;  but  such  things  as  crooked  backs,  crooked  breasts,  crooked  legs,  twisted  wings,  wry  tails 
(that  is,  tails  carried  to  one  side)  and  squirrel  tails  (that  is,  tails  carried  too  high  and  inclining 
toward  the  head)  should  be  rigidly  excluded  from  the  breeding  pen.* 

There  are  some  less  serious  malformations,  perhaps  more  accurately  described  as  lack  of 
development,  but  as  they  are  somewhat  common  in  all  varieties  we  will  mention  them  here: 
Narrow  and  shallow  bodies,  pinched  tails,  and  conspicuous  lack  of  breast  development,  make 
a  fowl  unsymmetrjcal,  detract  something  from  its  economic  value  as  well  as  from  its  appear- 
ance, and  often  indicate  lack  of  development  of  some  of  the  internal  organs.  The  breeder  who 
carefully  avoids  using  specimens  having  such  faults  rarely  has  cause  to  regret  tlie  loss  of  the 
use  of  birds  attractive  in  other  particulars  which  this  severe  selection  rules  out. 

Breeding  from  Fowls  thai  Have  Been  Sick.  —  This  is  a  question  which  properly 
comes  under  the  head  of  constitutional  vigor.  A  fowl  that  has  been  very  sick,  though  appar- 
ently completely  recovered  before  the  breeding  season,  should  not  be  used  to  breed  from,  or  if 
such  a  fowl  is  of  such  excellence  that  it  is  desirable  to  get  stock  from  it  if  possible,  it  may  be 
used,  but  the  breeder  should  not  rely  on  it  for  the  stock  he  needs.  The  chicks  from  such 
parents  are  apt  to  lack  constitutional  stamina,  and  frequently  are  weak  in  the  parts  affected  by 
the  disease  the  parent  had. 

2.  Breed  Shape. — This  is  where  the  breeder's  appreciation  of  the  differences  in  shapes 
of  fowls  should  begin.     A  fowl  may  be  a  well  proportioned  fowl,  and  not  essentially  lacking 
in  physical  development  in  any  section,  and  yet  not  be  at  all  of  the  shape  considered  typical 
for  its  breed.     The  breeder  of  thoroughbred  stock  should  learn  what  is  the  ideal  shape  in  his 
breed,  and  follow  it  as  closely  as  possible  in  selecting  for  his  nuttings. 

3.  Color  of  Plumage. — While  it  is  almost  universally  conceded  as  theoretically  right  to 
place  shape  before  color,  in   practice  more  fanciers  give  color  the  precedence,  because  color 
counts  for  more  in  the  show  room.    This  actual  precedence  given  color,  however,  is  detri- 
mental to  the  practical  qualities  of  some  of  the  varieties,  and,  in  general,  destructive  of  dis- 
tinctions in  breed  shape.    Fanciers  who  compete  with  others  in  exhibitions   where  color  is 
more  important  in   awards,  and  prizes    depend  on  extreme,  development  of  certain    color 
characteristics,  may  tind  their  success  a  justification  of  the  use  of  breeding  fowls  of  fine  color 
but  not  at  all  of  breed  shape;  but  those  who  breed  for  practical  qualities  first,  or  for  ordinary 
excellence  in  fancy  points,  will  always  find  result*,  on  the  whole,  more  satisfactory  if  they  give 
due  precedence  to  breed  shape  in  selecting  their  breeding  stock. 

4.  Comb  and  Head  Appurtenances. —  The  matter  of  selection  with  reference  to  these 
is,  of  course,  selection  for  quality,  as  a  bird  not  having  these  features  of  the  kind  characteristic 
of  its  breed  or  variety,  would  never  be  considered   at  all.    These  features  are  practically  of 
little,  if  any,  importance,  but,  in  breeding  exhibition  stock,  some  of  them  are  of  very  great 
importance.    They  will  be  specially  considered  in  connection  with  statements  about  mating  in 
the  next  lesson. 

5.  Color  of  Beak  and  Ijegs. — This  is  a  point  to  which  novices  in  general  give  undue 
importance,  often  selecting  or  rejecting  on  this  more  than  all  other  points.     Except  as  it  may 
indicate  healthy  condition,  color  in  these  points  has  no  absolute  value ;  but  considered  as  giving 
a  finishing  touch    to  a  fowl,  or  as  conforming   with   a   market  demand,  it  assumes  some 
importance. 

*Some  breeders  would  consider  this  rule  too  strict,  especially  with  regard  to  defects  which  are  either  not  dis- 
qualifications according  to  the  Standard,  or  the  rules  regarding  them  not  ri jdd | y  enforced.  "While  I  admit 
exceptional  cases  where  for  the  sake  of  other  special  merit  a  fowl  with  one  of  these  faults  might  be  bred  from, 
I  think  it  very  evident  that  the  general  tendency  is  to  be  too  lenient  witli  such  faults  when  selecting  breeding 
stock,  and  that  to  this  carelessness  much  of  the  weakness  and  lack  of  general  attractiveness  in  some  pure  bred 
stock  is  due.  The  cases  where  the  use  of  malformed  specimens  is  justified  by  results  are  so  few,  and  the  cases 
where  general  results  condemn  their  use  so  numerous,  that  it  seems  to  me  the  net  result  would  be  much  better 
if  no  exceptions  to  the  rule  were  allowed. 


FIR  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  21 

These  five  points  cover  the  things  to  be  considered  in  selecting  breeding  birds  on  appear- 
ance. I  think  it  is  as  well  not  to  go  beyond  that  in  this  year's  lessons. 

Novices*     Errors    in    Selection. 

The  first  serious  mistake  made  by  most  novices  in  selecting  breeding  stock  is  to  consider 
eome  particular  feature,  often  a  superficial  one,  as  indicating  purity  of  blood,  and  select  with 
reference  to  excellence  in  that  feature.  With  selection  on  this  basis,  goes  rejection  of  speci- 
mens deficient  in  this  feature.  The  result  is  the  use  for  breeding  of  fowls  which,  for  other 
considerations,  ought  to  be  rejected,  and  the  rejection  for  a  minor  fault  in  one  place  of  really 
valuable  breeding  fowls.  The  breeder  must  consider  his  matings  first  with  reference  to  the 
more  important  points,  then  with  reference  to  the  others,  and  must  carefully  estimate  the  total 
breeding  value  of  a  fowl  when  the  importance  is  given  each  point  under  consideration. 

In  general,  this  method  of  selection  gives  one  breeding  fowls  of  good  all  round  excellence 
rather  than  birds  of  phenomenal  excellence  in  one  particular  point,  and  it  is  the  all  round  good 
bird  that  experienced  breeders  find  most  reliable  in  the  reproduction  of  its  kind. 

Mating. 

The  breeder  having  selected  from  his  flock  such  specimens  as  seem  to  combine  a  pleasing 
quality  in  desirable  characteristics  with  not  too  marked  possession  of  undesirable  features,  finds 
his  task  by  no  means  completed.  Instead,  he  is  only  now  ready  to  begin  the  balancing  of  char- 
acteristics mentioned  in  the  first  part  of  the  lesson  as  distinctively  the  breeder's  work. 

The  specimens  which  he  has  selected  are  not  all  alike.  Perhaps  his  selection  has  resulted  in 
setting  aside  as  possible  breeders  some  specimens  with  very  strong  individual  differences.  It 
may  be  that  his  birds,  if  all  bred  alike,  have  some  objectionable  feature  in  common,  or  alike  fail 
to  show  a  pleasing  excellence  in  a  section  of  considerable  importance. 

Standard  Matings. 

Supposing  the  breeder  has  males  and  females  of  fair  merit  and  nowhere  notably  deficient: 
if  he  is  to  make  but  a  single  mating  it  should  be  of  the  male  he  considers  his  best,  with  as  many 
of  the  females  as  he  considers  suitable  to  mate  with  his  male  as  the  male  is  likely  to  be  able  to 
serve  efficiently.  This  is  what  is  called  a  "standard  mating,"  that  is,  a  mating  of  specimens  of 
opposite  sexes  conforming  most  closely  to  the  standard  requirements  for  their  variety. 

Compensation  Matings. 

After  making  his  Standard  mating  or  matings  a  breeder  may  have  left  birds  which  may  make 
very  valuable  breeders  if  properly  mated,  but  if  not  suitably  mated  will  have  no  special  breed- 
ing value.  These  are,  as  a  rule,  specimens  deficient  only  in  one  or  a  few  minor  points.  Such 
specimens  in  fact  as  the  breeder  has  whose  stock  Is  in  some  particular  deficient. 

If  one  happens  to  have  fowls  of  the  opposite  sex  strong  in  the  feature  in  which  these  fowls 
are  weak,  and  in  other  respects  not  unsuitable  to  mate  with  them,  he  may  make  such  compen- 
sation matiugs;  or  if  he  can  buy  breeding  birds  like-ly  to  offset  these  defects  in  the  progeny,  it  is 
well  to  do  so,  if  he  has  room  to  give  to  chicks  from  experimental  matings  of  this  kind,  but  it  is 
poor  policy  to  make  a  number  of  matings  of  different  types  of  stock  with  the  expectation  of 
having  radical  defects  on  one  side  offset  by  special  excellence  on  the  other.  The  reasons  for 
this  cannot  be  given  in  the  limits  of  a  lesson  like  this,  but  the  breeder  who  tries  making  many 
matings  in  expectation  of  getting  something  from  all  his  stock  will  shortly  realize,  if  (as  he 
should)  he  keeps  records  of  his  matings,  that  taking  one  season  with  another  he  will  produce 
more  good  stock  from  one  mating  of  his  best  specimens  than  from  ten  times  as  many  specimens 
mated  up  in  a  variety  of  compensation  matiugs. 

While  even  a  "Standard-'  mating  introduces  in  a  degree  the  compensation  principle  in  the 
balancing  of  defects;  with  close  selection,  this  balancing  is  within  comparatively  narrow  limits, 
and  does  not  present  the  radical  individual  differences  too  often  found  when  matings  are  in 
reality  crosses  of  extreme  types  of  the  same  variety.  Such  extreme  matings  are  always  experi- 
mental, and  as  a  rule  are  profitable  only  when  the  object  is  to  preserve  in  the  stock  special 
excellence  appearing  in  an  individual  which  also  has  faults  which  make  it  unwise  to  mingle  the 
blood  of  this  individual  with  that  of  the  general  stock,  or  make  it  dominant  in  it,  before  the 
special  defects  of  the  fowl  have  been  to  a  considerable  degree  eliminated. 


22  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

The  field  for  the  exercise  of  skill  and  good  judgment  is  a  very  large  one.  There  is  prac- 
tically no  limit  to  experimenting  in  making  matiugs  if  one  undertakes  to  discover  all  the 
possibilities  a  study  of  his  fowls  suggest,  but  the  practical  breeder  soon  learns  to  confine  his 
production  to  what  he  can  get  from  the  matings  which  will  probably  give  him  good  results, 
and  the  beginner  may  well  pattern  by  him,  and  give  little  attention  to  possible  results  of  matings 
made  merely  to  utilize  birds  for  breeding  purposes. 

The    Double    Mating    System. 

The  system  of  special  matings  or  double  matings,  so  called  because  exhibition  types  of  the 
sexes  are  produced  from  different  matings,  is  a  system  of  matings  for  color,  devised  to  produce 
color  types  required  by  the  established  standards,  but  rarely  obtained  in  both  sexes  from  the 
same  mating.  It  will  be  more  fully  explained  in  connection  with  descriptions  of  matings  for 
varieties  with  which  it  is  practiced.  Where  this  system  is  generally  used  for  any  variety,  the 
beginner  will  find  it  is  to  his  advantage  to  follow  it,  regardless  of  whether  he  considers  it 
wrong  in  principle. 

Should  a  Novice  flake    His    Own     Matings? 

It  will  have  occurred  to  many  readers  that  it  would  be  of  material  advantage  to  every 
novice  to  have  the  benefit  of  expert  advice  in  mating  his  fowls. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  so,  and  that  where  the  results  of  his  matings  has  an 
important  relation  to  the  finances  of  his  poultry  keeping,  the  expense  of  securing  the  services 
of  an  expert  for  this  work  might  well  be  considered  a  necessary  expense,  and  the  expert 
engaged,  unless  to  do  so  would  involve  cost  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  stock  kept,  in 
which  event  the  breeder  is  wisest  to  do  the  best  he  can  for  himself. 

Miscellaneous    Information. 

There  are  a  number  of  general  questions  about  matters  relating  to  the  breeding  of  poultry, 
which  do  not  come  under  any  of  the  topics  we  have  considered.  These  we  will  take  up  here, 
ami  treat  as  briefly  as  possible,  and  yet  make  the  points  involved  clear. 

(1).    The  Age  of  Breeding  Stock.— 

Under  this  heading  we  have  a  number  of  common  questions  which  are  given  herewith,  with 
reply  following  each. 

(a).    At  what  age  is  a  fowl  Jit  for  breeding? 

When  full  grown  and  well  developed  sexually.  A  cockerel  will  generally  serve  hens  long 
before  he  is  full  grown,  and  will  fertilize  eggs.  A  pullet  will  often  lay  before  she  attains  her 
full  growth.  Such  immature  stock  should  not  be  bred.  It  will  produce,  but  not  often  stock 
that  in  size  and  stamina  will  approach  the  offspring  of  better  developed  stock. 

(b).    At  what  age  does  a  fowl  cease  to  be  fit  jor  breeding'/ 

The  age  varies  greatly.  In  general,  the  smaller  breeds  remain  capable  of  breeding  well 
longer  than  the  larger  ones.  Then  the  use  of  the  same  stock  for  laying  and  breeding  purposes, 
and  the  custom  of  giving  the  males  as  many  mates  as  possible  tend  to  greatly  shorten  the  period 
of  usefulness  of  the  fowls  as  breeders.  Many  fowls  are  serviceable  breeders  for  only  one  season. 
Generally  two  seasons  breeding  is  as  much  as  can  be  relied  upon.  A  few  fowls  breed  well  for 
much  longer  periods,  but  the  fowl  that  is  of  value  enough  to  the  breeder  to  be  used  more  than 
two  seasons  is  the  exception. 

(c).  Should  fowls  of  the  same  age  be  bred  together,  or  isit  better  to  mate  old  males  with 
young  females ,  and  young  males  with  old  females  f 

It  is  a  mistake  to  make  too  much  of  a  point  of  the  relative  age  of  the  sexes.  If  the  young 
birds  are  well  grown,  fully  developed,  and  in  good  condition,  they  will  produce  as  good  chicks 
as  old  birds.  It  is  really  a  question  of  condition  rather  than  of  age  —  or  a  question  of  age  only 
as  age  may  have  affected  condition.  Young  stock  of  both  sexes  is  much  more  reliable  for  fertil- 
ity early  in  the  season.  An  old  cock  will  sometimes  not  fertilize  eggs  at  all  till  toward  spring, 
and  old  hens  often  give  very  unsatisfactory  results  in  fertility,  even  though  laying  well,  early 
in  the  season.  The  advantages  sometimes  found  in  mating  old  stock  of  one  sex  with  young 
gtock  of  the  other,  is  that  if  the  old  is  a  little  sluggish,  the  greater  vigor  of  the  young  may 
increase  fertility,  while  if  the  young  is  not  fully  developed  the  effects  of  immaturity  are  to  some 
extent  overcome  by  the  better  development  of  the  other  sex. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  23 

(2).    Relative  Proportion  of  Males  and  Females. — 

The  breeder  who  follows  the  suggestions  that  have  been  given  in  regard  to  selection,  will  not 
often  find  it  necessary  to  ask  the  limit  of  the  number  of  hens  to  be  allowed  to  one  male,  because 
he  will  mostly  find  only  a  few  hens  like  enough  to  be  used  in  one  mating.  Where  the  rules 
given  are  observed,  where  only  such  fowls  as  are  suitable  are  mated  together,  matings  are 
almost  invariably  small,  and  in  most  cases  there  is  no  need  of  allowing  the  male  more  females. 
If  occasionally  a  male  is  found  which  mated  with  a  few  females  annoys  them  too  much  by 
excessive  attentions,  tone  him  down  by  allowing  him  to  run  for  a  day  occasionally  with  a 
larger  flock  of  hens  not  used  for  breeding,  and  not  kept  continuously  with  the  male. 

Line  Breeding  and   Inbreeding. 

These  are  topics  to  be  treated  at  length  at  a  more  advanced  stage  in  the  course.  For  the 
present  I  would  say  of  line  breeding  only  that  if  one  buys  line  bred  stock  he  should  follow  as 
closely  as  possible  the  same  line  of  breeding;  and  of  inbreeding  that  if  one  selects  his  stock  care- 
fully with  reference  to  constitutional  vigor  and  physical  perfection,  and  avoids  mating  birds 
with  the  same,  he  need  have  no  fear  of  immediate  bad  results  from  inbreeding,  and  may  mate 
in  absolute  disregard  of  possible  evil  from  mating  birds  of  near  kin. 


FIBST    LL'XSOXX    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING, 


LESSON    IV. 


Putting  Principles  of  Breeding  Into  Practice. 


THE  last  lesson  stated  some  elementary  principles  of  poultry  breeding  and  discussed  them 
in  a  general  way.  In  this  we  are  to  consider  more  specifically  the  details  to  .which 
those  principles  apply  and  the  methods  of  their  application. 

In  discussing  the  selection  of  breeding  stock  we  found  five  points  upon  which  selec- 
tion should  be  based,  namely: 

1.     Constitutional  vigor  and  physical  perfection. 

Breed  shape. 

Color  of  plumage. 

Comb  and  head  appurtenances. 

Beak  and  legs. 

The  first  of  these  points  needs  no  further  explanation  at  present.    Discussion  of  it  along  the 
lines  followed  for  the  other  points  would   merely  be  a  statement  of  the  average  relative  vigor, 
hardiness,  etc.,  of  the  different  breeds,  and   on   these  points   the  differences   that  concern  the 
breeder   do   not   follow    breed    and    variety 
divisions.    On  the  other  points  there  are  a  few 
things  not  mentioned  in  the  last  lesson  to  con- 
sider before  special  rules  for  mating  are  given. 

Breed    Shape. 

The  first  thing  for  the  novice  in  breeding  to 
learn  about  the  shape  of  the  breed  he  is  to 
work  with  is  what  is  the  typical  shape  for  that 
breed.  To  appreciate  it  correctly  he  must 
also  know  something  about  the  types  of  form 
for  other  breeds,  for  our  ideas  of  form  in 
fowls  are  always  relative. 

We  find  among  fowls,  even  of  the  same 
breed  and  variety,  great  diversity  of  form,  due 
largely  to  the  general  neglect  to  give  shape 
due  importance  in  mating  and  judging.  Some 
of  these  forms  are  pleasing,  some  are  not.  A 
few  of  them  have  been  chosen  as  models  for 
particular  breeds,  and  however  disregarded  in 
practice  are  still  recognized  as  correct  stand- 
ards, and  easily  recognized  as  distinct  and  dis- 
tinctive forms.  Not  all  breeds  have  such  dis- 


Cochins. 


FIRST    LEU  SONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  25 

tinctive  forms,  but  many  do  have,  and  the 
breeder  with  a  little  effort  trains  his  eye  to 
recognize  each  wherever  seen,  and  to  give 

_v  .  it  due  credit  when  found  in  the  variety  or 

— r4--:?<;\    *f¥^H^^'-^^^^Bl     breed  to  which  it  belongs. 

-,--VvM^HH  Krii^n^g         r^vlSfl         Dividing  fowls  (exclusive  of  Bantams) 

according  to   the  more  plainly    apparent 
breed  shapes,  we  have  : 
1.     The  Asiatic  types.— 

Of  these  there  are  three,  each  breed 
in  the  Asiatic  class  having  distinct 
breed  shape.  These  three  are:  The 
Brahma,  Cochin,  and  Langshan. 

The  difference  between  the  Brahma 
and  Cochin  is  largely  due  to  the  dif- 
ference in  plurnsige;  the  standard 
Cochin  being  an  extremely  heavily 
feathered  fowl,  so  much  so  that  the 
female  looks  round  as  a  ball,  and 
the  male  also  suggests  the  appearance 
of  having  more  feathers  than  he  can 
use  to  advantage.  The  Brahma  is  a 
closer  feathered  bird, and  appears  to 
have  greater  length  of  body.  Both 
fowls  are  large,  and  the  first  impres- 
sion a  well  shaped  specimen  gives  is  of  massiveness.  The  Langsban  is  of  quite  differ- 
ent type,  not  so  massive  looking  as  the  others,  shorter  feathered,  higher  stationed,  a 
big,  well  built  but  rather  spare  fowl.  A  comparison  of  the  cuts  which  accompany 
this  lesson  will  show  the  type  differences  quite  plainly. 
The,  Mediterranean  types. 
The  principal  types  of  this  class  are  the  well  known  Leghorn  and  Minorca  types.  The 
Leghorn  is  a  fowl  of  graceful  carriage 
and  fine  curves  yet  with  quite  a  sub- 
stantial body.  The  Minorca  is  larger 
with  more  angular  curves,  and  longer, 
straighter  lines.  The  other  breeds  in 
this  class  are  the  Ancona,  which  is  a 
Leghorn  in  shape;  the  Black  Spanish, 
much  like  the  Minorca,  but  with  less 
breadth  and  depth  of  body;  and  the 
Andalusian  a  type  intermediate  between 
the  Leghorn  and  Minorca. 

3.     The  American  types. 

AVe  may  speak  of  the  American  type  or 
of  American  types.  In  a  general  way 
the  fowls  of  the  American  class  are  of 
the  same  type,  a  type  intermediate 
between  the  Asiatic  and  Mediterranean 
types.  But  in  the  several  breeds  of 
fowls  in  the  American  class  we  have 
clear  sub-types.  Thus  the  Plymouth 
Rock  has  a  rather  long  and  deep  yet 
well  rounded  body;  the  Wyandotte,  a 
chunkier,  rather  square  body.  The 


-2. 


Rhode   Island  Red  standard   calls  for  a 
body   intermediate    between   Plymouth 


Black    Langshan    Cock. 


26 


FIfitiT    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


S.  C.  White  foghorns. 


Rock  and  Wyandotte  type?,  and 
though  specimens  conforming  to 
that  description  have  been  rare  in 
the  past,  more  and  more  of  them 
are  seen  each  year.  Breeders  of 
these  breeds  should  carefully  dis- 
tinguish the  different  types.  Of  the 
other  American  varieties  the  Java 
is  of  extreme  Plymouth  Rock  type, 
while  the  American  Dominique 
does  not  properly  belong  to  this 
class  of  fowls. 

Some  of  the  types  which  in  a  natural 
classification  of  the  subject  should 
follow  these  cannot  be  so  easily  placed 
or  grouped,  the  divisions  according  to 
shape  not  following  Standard  classifica- 
tion. For  this  reason  it  is  sometimes 
more  difficult  to  give  the  type  an 
appropriate  name.  Thus  we  have  in 
the  Orpington  fowl  a  more  massive 
American  type,  many  of  the  Orping- 
tons being  conspicuously  "  Cochinny," 
but  other  differences  make  it  seem 
inadmissible  to  put  the  Orpington  in 
the  American  type  class,  so  we  must 
put  it  by  itself  as: 


4. 


The  Orpington  type. 
Intermediate  between  American  and  Asiatic  types. 

Then  we  have  in  the  Dorking  and  the  Houdan,  two  breeds  of  different  classes  but  with  a  con- 
spicuous resemblance  in  shape  of  body.    We  make  them : 

5.  The  Dorking- Houdan  type, 
The  characteristic  of  the  shape  in 

these  two  breeds  is  the  full  breast  ^HL^^ ^  '*%£r% ^^MK"^       ^ 

and  rather  long  keel,  giving  the  ^  W&  — fcl 

body  some  resemblance  to  that  of 

a  duck.  This  is  most  pronounced 

in    the    Dorking,    which  is  the 

larger  of  the    two  breeds,  and 

often  a  very  massive  fowl,  but 

is  also   easily    distinguished    in 

some    Houdans,    though    others 

seem    entirely     lacking    in    this 

feature. 

6.  The  Hamburg  type. 

7.  The  Polish  type. 

These  two  types  are  somewhat 
similar,  both  small,  fine  boned, 
very  symmetrical  and  stylish 
looking  fowls,  very  energetic  and 
nervous.  The  Polish  more  round 
and  plump;  the  Hamburg,  in  the 
larger  specimens,  sometimes  sug- 
gesting the  Minorca  or  Dorking. 
Game  types. 
Under  this  heading  we  have  three  s.  C.  Black  Minorca*. 


8. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


27 


pronounced  types:  the  Pit  Game,  a  compact  round  bodied,  rather  fine  boned  fowl;  the 
Exhibition  Game,  an  abnormally  elongated  type  of  the  Pit  Game;  the  Indian  Game,  a 
heavy,  massive  Game  type,  apparently  an  intermediate  between  the  Pit  Game  and 
Asiatic  types. 

The  breeder  will  find  in  every  breed  many  specimens  which  are  not  of  good  breed  shape; 
many  that  approximate  it;  a  few  that  are  fine  models  of  their  type.  Whatever  his  breed  he 
should  study  shape,  and  learn  to  distinguish  shape  of  body  as  readily  as  shape  of  comb  or  color. 

Color  of  Plumage. 

Generally  speaking,  novices  in  poultry  breeding  are  not  so  likely  to  make  mistakes  in  color  as 
In  shape.  Color  differences  are  more  pronounced.  In  white  and  black  are  presented  extremes 
of  color,  which  are  exact  opposites,  while  the  most  extreme  shape  types  are  in  reality  similar 
types.  Differences  in  shape  resemble  rather  differences  in  shades  of  the  same  color.  Hence  we 
find  fanciers  easily  making  the  broad  distinctions  between  color  types,  but  when  they  come  to 
the  finer  distinctions  meeting  the  same  difficulties  they  do  in  working  with  shape. 

The  colors  and  color  combinations  in  poultry  may  be  classed  as  follows: 

1.  Solid  colors.— White,  black,  buff  and  red. 

2.  Parti-colors.— Which 
may  be  sub-divided  ac- 
cording   to    the  char- 
acter of  the  markings 
Into  barred,    laced, 
penciled,  spangled, 
and   mottled    plumage 
in    varieties  in   which 
one    or   both    sexes 
retain  the  same  colors 
and  markings  through 
all  sections;   while  in 
varieties  where  the  col- 
ors vary  systematically 
in     different    sections, 
we  have  combinations, 
such  as  the  black-red 
combination  seen  in  the 
Black  Breasted   Red 
Game  and  the  Brown 
Leghorn,  the  descrip- 
tive   name    being    the 
color  description  of  the 

male.  Following  the  same  method  of  describing  the  color  type  we  would  have  a 
black-white  combination  in  the  Silver  Duckwing  Leghorn  and  Silver  Gray  Dorking, 
and  a  white-red  combination  in  the  Red  Pyle  Game. 

A  complete  classified  description  of  colors  would  be  too  elaborate  for  this  stage  of  the  treat- 
ment of  the  subject,  If  indeed  it  would  be  of  any  special  use  at  any  time,  but  it  is  worth  while 
for  a  breeder  to  make  sure  that  he  distinguishes  between  the  different  arrangements  of  color, 
mid  clearly  understands  just  what  he  is  trying  to  do.  A  good  many  breeders  in  the  beginning 
pay  little  attention  to  the  study  of  markings.  They  merely  see  certain  color  effects  without 
knowing  how  they  are  obtained,  and  for  want  of  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  color  qualities  of 
their  fowls  not  Infrequently  make  the  mistake  of  breeding  from  specimens  not  suitable  for  their 
purpose  or  neglecting  to  use  valuable  specimens.  Color  is  not  to  be  sought  at  the  sacrifice  of 
more  substantial  qualities,  but  if  it  is  worth  while  to  breed  a  variety  at  all,  it  certainly  is  worth 
while  to  know  its  color  requirements  thoroughly,  and  so  be  sure  that  specimens  that  are  good 
in  color  as  well  as  in  other  features  will  not  be  neglected.  So  I  would  urge  the  novice  in  any 
breed  to  study  his  color  description  with  live  models  before  him,  and  make  sure  that  he  knows 
just  what  the  colors  should  be  in  each  section. 


Barred   Plymouth    Mocks. 


White   Wyandotles. 


28  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Comb  and   Head  Appurtenances. 

There  are  four  principal  types  of  comb: 

(1).  The  Single  Comb,  a  single, 
upright,  serrated  comb,  in  some  varieties 
very  small,  in  others  medium  in  size,  in 
still  others  very  large,  but  the  general 
type  always  the  same. 

(2).  Thellose  Comb. —  By  persons  not 
familiar  with  the  technical  terms  of  poul- 
try men,  every  comb  that  is  not  single  is 
commonly  called  a  double  comb;  the  rose 
comb  is  the  most  common  type.  It  is  a 
thick,  fleshy  comb,  flattened  on  top,  some- 
times small  and  "  neat,"  as  the  typical 
Wyandotte  comb,  larger  in  the  Leghorn 
and  Hamburg,  and  in  the  Red  Cap  so 
exaggerated  as  to  seem  almost  a  deform- 
ity. 

(3).     The  Pea  Comb,  a  triple  comb,  looks  like  three  parallel    single  combs  growing 
from  the  same  base.    Seen  in  its  best  development  in  the  Brahma. 

(4).  The  Leaf  Comb,  a  forked  or  branching  comb,  as  in  the  Houdans  and  Polish. 
In  one  way  the  comb  is  of  no  practical  importance.  In  itself  it  has  no  actual  value.  Yet  a 
good  comb  adds  much  to  the  appearance  of  a  fowl,  and  without  developing  fine  combs  at  the 
expense  of  other  features  it  is  possible  by  simply  avoiding  the  use  for  breeding  of  birds  that 
have  poor  combs,  or  combs  out  of  proportion  to  the  size  most  favored  for  a  variety,  to  add 
much  to  the  appearance  of  the  flock. 

Wattles. —  These  are  the  folds  of  skin  pendant  from  the  lower  beak,  and  of  the  same 
quality  and  color  as  the  comb.  They  vary  much  in  shape  and  size,  and  due  regard 
should  be  given  to  the  selection  of  birds  having  wattles  such  as  are  desired  for  their 
type. 

Ear  Lobes.—  The  folds  of  skin  just  below  the  ears.  It  is  always  desired  and  gener- 
ally required  that  they  be  uniform  in  color  —  either  red,  or  white,  or  creamy  white. 
The  tendency  is  to  mix  red  and  white.  As  with  all  superficial  points,  while  not  to  be 

given  undue  importance,  color  of  ear 
lobes  should  not  be  neglected.  If  neg- 
lected for  a  few  years  it  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  eradicate  red  from  a  lobe  that 
should  be  white,  or  white  from  one 
that  should  be  red. 

Crests  and  Beards.  —  Compara- 
tively few  crested  fowls  are  bred.  If 
one  does  breed  fowls  of  that  type  he 
ought  by  all  means  to  avoid  using  birds 
with  poor  crests,  however  good  in 
other  respects,  for  unless  the  crests  of 
your  fowls  are  ornamental,  there  is  no 
object  in  having  crested  fowls. 

Beak    and    Legs. 

Beak.  —  In  general  the  shape  of  the 
beak  of  a  fowl  conforms  to  the  struc- 
ture of  the  fowl,  and  if  one  observes 
that  the  beak  of  a  specimen  he  con- 
sidered typical  in  shape  of  body  does 
not  conform  to  the  description  of  the 
typical  beak  for  that  kind  of  fowl,  he 


8.  C.  Rhode  Island  Red  Hen. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY   KEEPING.  29 

needs  to  reconsider  his  judgment  on  shape — perhaps  to  find  a  new  standard  upon 
which  to  base  his  judgment.  An  elongated  and  rather  weak  looking  beak  is  rarely  if 
ever  found  on  a  plump  or  stocky  bird,  while  a  specimen  with  a  powerful,  hawk  like 
beak  is  likely  to  be  too  heavily  built  all  through  to  be  symmetrical.  The  color  of  the 
beak  is  of  importance  only  as  it  harmonizes  with  the  general  color  of  the  fowl,  or 
appeals  to  individual  taste. 

Legs  and  Toes. — In  these  again  we  have  a  good  index  of  the  general  structure  of  a 
specimen.  If  one  has  a  fowl  which  seems  to  him  good  in  shape  of  body,  but  with  poor 
legs — either  poor  in  shape  or  not  smooth,  strong  and  well  developed — he  needs  to  recon- 
sider his  judgment  on  shape  of  body,  and  in  most  cases  will  find  he  was  wrong.  As  to 
color  of  leg,  it  will  be  found  that  whenever  a  certain  color  is  given  the  preference  by 
fanciers,  carelessness  in  selecting  with  reference  to  that  color  very  soon  results  in  a  very 
shabby  looking  lot  of  fowls. 

I  have  gone  into  the  above  points  at  more  length  than  I  had  intended  when  the  lessons  for 
this  year  were  first  mapped  out,  because  within  a  few  weeks  it  has  been  very  pointedly  brought 
to  my  notice  that  a  very  great  many  beginners  who  are  most  interested  in  the  "practical" 
aspects  of  mating,  need  to  be  admonished  not  to  neglect  appearances.  So  I  have  tried  by  reitera- 
tion in  a  little  different  form  to  give  special  emphasis  to  some  general  points  which  every 
breeder  of  thoroughbred  fowls  ought  to  give  some  consideration.  By  giving  a  little  attention 
to  these  points  a  breeder  will  save  himself  disappointment  in  the  coming  seasons  when  he  knows 
enough  about  the  finer  qualities  of  the  varieties  he  breeds  to  want  to  select  more  closely  with 
reference  to  them.  The  points  I  have  indicated  are  points  I  think  anyone  can  distinguish  and 
appreciate.  Giving  them  consideration  simply  means  guarding  against  serious  faults.  A  good 
many  new  breeders  need  to  understand  that  while  it  would  be  not  at  all  to  their  advantage  to 
go  to  the  extreme  in  fancy  points,  it  is  just  as  much  to  their  disadvantage  to  neglect  them 
altogether.  Indeed,  unless  one  gives  reasonable  attention  to  the  looks  of  his  fowls  he  loses  half 
the  satisfaction  of  producing  good  ones,  though  producing  only  for  eggs  and  meat. 

Mating    White    Varieties. 

The  impression  is  general  among  breeders  not  producing  stock  for  competition  and  among 
beginners  that  white  is  easy  to  reproduce.  This  is  true  of  the  white  commonly  produced  by  such 
breeders,  but  not  of  such  a  pure  silvery  white  as  the  fancier  works  for.  The  ordinary  white 
fowl  compares  with  a  good  white  fowl  about  as  a  piece  of  unbleached  muslin  does  with  a  piece 
that  is  thoroughly  bleached  and  white. 

The  common  color  faults  of  white  fowls  are  yellow  distributed  through  the  plumage,  giving 
it  a  creamy  appearance  in  all  sections,  and  sometimes  becoming  very  brassy  looking  on  the 
backs  of  the  males;  and  ticks  or  splotches  of  foreign  color,  as  blacker  red  occurring  irregularly 
in  the  plumage.  Very  few  fowls  are  absolutely  free  from  these  faults.  Ticks  or  splotches  are 
most  apt  to  occur  in  the  specimens  with  whitest  plumage,  while  creaminess  is  correlative 
with  the  yellow  legs,  beak,  and  skin  required  in  all  the  popular  white  varieties. 

While  the  Standard  calls  for  an  absolutely  white  fowl,  many  of  the  best  breeders  think  it 
better  to  allow  a  little  creamy  color  throughout  the  plumage  rather  than  take  the  lighter  faded 
yellow  skin  and  legs  seen  on  most  very  white  birds.  So  in  mating  his  white  fowls  the  beginner 
is  wisest  who  does  not  try  to  get  white  regardless  of  other  matters,  but  avoids  pronounced 
brassiness  and  creaminess,  and  foreign  color  in  the  stiff  feathers  where  it  cannot  be  removed 
without  disfiguring  a  bird. 

In  the  white  varieties  not  having  yellow  legs  and  skin  creaminess  and  brassiness  are  not  so 
prevalent,  but—  as  would  be  expected  —  there'  is  likely  to  be  a  great  deal  more  ticking  and 
blotches  of  the  black,  red,  or  brown. 

Hating    Black    Varieties. 

In  black  again  we  have  a  so-called  solid  color  as  difficult  to  produce  to  perfection  as  any 
of  the  color  combinations.  The  black  oftenest  seen  is  a  dull  brownish  black.  The  black 
desired  is  a  jet  black  with  a  greenish  sheen.  The  black  oftenest  obtained  by  fanciers  trying  to 


30  FItiST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

get  the  required  color  is  a  jet  black  with  purple  barring.  This  comes  from  an  excess  of  color, 
and  results  generally  from  too  strong  color  matings.  The  muting  of  two  jet  black  specimens 
with  fine  green  sheen  is  apt  to  bring  the  objectionable  purple  bars.  So  the  expert  fancier 
breeding  olack  fowls  avoids  mating  the  finest  plumaged  birds  of  either  sex  with  equally  fine 
colored  specimens  of  the  other  sex.  With  a  male  perfect  (approximately)  in  color  he  mates 
females  that,  without  being  pronouncedly  brownish,  show  a  tendency  to  that  color.  Similarly 
with  his  finest  females  he  uses  a  male  with  a  little  less  strength  of  color. 

Fine  specimens  having  the  purple  barring  are  used  in  breeding  with  birds  very  poor  in  color 
with  black  weak  and  showing  quite  brown  and  dull.  They  are  also  used  with  birds  of  correct 
color.  In  the  first  case  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  progeny  is  likely  to  come  good  in  color, 
for  uniformity  and  soundness  of  color  do  not  result  quickly  from  such  extreme  matings.  In 
the  mating  of  a  bird  with  an  excess  of  color  with  one  of  standard  color  some  very  fine  speci- 
mens are  sometimes  produced,  though,  naturally,  a  considerable  part  of  the  progeny  shows  the 
purple  bars. 

Mating  Buff  Varieties. 

A  solid  golden  buff  fowl  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  plumage,  and  the  perfection  of  colorin 
buff  fowls  is  most  difficult  to  obtain.  From  the  most  carefully  selected  matings  a  proportion  of 
thicks  come  that  as  they  grow  up  show  white  or  black  in  wings  and  tails,  or  red  across  the 
shoulders  and  backs  of  males,  uneven  mottling  of  different  shades  of  buff  throughout  the  plum- 
age, different  shades  of  buffin  different  sections.  The  proportion  of  such  chicks  if  often  dis- 
couraging to  the  beginner,  but  by  persistently  mating  from  the  best  specimens  he  can  procure 
or  afford  to  buy,  he  in  time  can  develop  a  line  of  buffs  that  will  give  him  a  very  satisfactory 
proportion  of  birds  as  good  as  the  best. 

In  mating  buff  fowls  keep  as  near  as  possible  to  the  shade  of  buff  you  are  trying  to  get.  Good 
buff  being  so  very  scarce — even  yet— it  follows  that  most  matings  will  be  of  males  :i  little  dark 
with  females  a  little  light,  or  vice  versa;  but  in  making  these  necessary  compensation  matings 
keep  as  near  the  standard  color  as  you  can,  and  if  you  have  fowls  of  both  sexes  of  standard 
color,  and  in  other  respects  suitable  to  mate  together,  by  all  means  make  such  a  mating  if  only 
of  a  single  male  and  female. 

In  breeding  for  buff  more  perhaps  than  in  working  with  any  other  surface  color,  undercolor 
is  of  great  importance.  In  saying  this  I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  suggesting  a  neglect  of 
undercolor  in  other  varieties,  but  I  know  of  no  other  color  in  which  surface  faults  may  be  over- 
looked safely  and  reliance  placed  on  sound  undercolor  to  work  the  defects  out  of  the  surface  to 
the  same  extent  as  in  buff.  Get  the  best  undercolor  possible,  a  buff,  but  a  little  lighter  in  shade 
and  duller  than  the  surface  color.  In  undercolor,  though,  take  a  bird  that  is  almost  white,  if 
good  in  surface  color,  rather  than  one  that  has  a  bluish  or  slaty  smudge  or  bar  in  the  under- 
color, for  birds  with  such  undercolor  are  apt  to  give  you  too  much  black  in  wings  and  tails,  and 
often  give  a  great  deal  of  lacing  and  ticking  of  black  in  the  surface  color  of  their  progeny. 

In  surface  color  a  little  white  is  less  tolerable  than  a  little  black —  appearing  in  mealiness  in 
flights  and  tail  feathers,  but  in  undercolor  black  should  not  be  tolerated. 

flating  Red  Varieties. 

In  general  what  has  been  said  of  mating  buff  varieties  applies  to  reds,  though  the  ideas  of 
breeders  of  red  varieties  do  not  yet  agree  as  do  those  of  breeders  of  buffs,  and  therefore  their 
methods  of  mating  are  not  so  generally  alike,  and  the  fact  that  black  is  admitted  in  the  wings 
and  tails,  and  to  some  extent  in  the  hackle,  makes  the  use  of  birds  with  smutty  undercolor  per- 
haps a  little  less  risky  than  in  breeding  buff  color.  The  tendency  in  the  development  of  the 
reds,  however,  has  been  for  the  elimination  of  black  and  toward  making  it  a  solid  colored  bird. 
The  R.  I.  Red  standard  in  fact  simply  recognizes  and  permits  markings  which  in  the  buff  breeds 
were  never  treated  as  leniently  in  the  Standard  as  they  were  in  practice.  It  is  because  the 
tendency  in  Reds  seems  unmistakably  toward  uniform  color  and  the  final  elimination  of  black, 
and  because  this  tendency  makes  the  breeders  follow  the  methods  of  breeders  of  buff  fowls  that 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  classing  red  as  a  solid  color,  though  it  is  not  strictly  so  in  fact. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  31 

Mating  Barred  Varieties. 

In  considering  the  mating  of  Barred  varieties,  we  will  take  up  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  as 
the  representative  of  this  color  type  known  everywhere,  and  indeed  the  only  one  in  which  those 
studying  these  lessons  are  likely  to  be  interested. 

The  Standard  requires  that  the  plumage  of  males  and  females  shall  be  of  the  same  uniform 
color  throughout.  The  exact  description  of  this  color  has  caused  no  end  of  controversy.  Some 
affirm  that  it  is  a  black  bar  on  a  white  ground,  but  looks  blue.  Others  say  the  ground  color  is 
grayish  or  bluish  white  with  the  darker  bars  blue.  Breeders  agreeing  on  color  often  disagree 
about  proper  description  of  it.  The  amateur,  however,  need  not  puzzle  himself  about  their 
differences  on  that  point.  On  the  things  that  trouble  him  most  in  the  appearance  of  his  fowls, 
the  breeders  are  pretty  well  in  agreement— though  they  differ  again  as  to  the  best  method  of 
getting  what  they  want. 

The  beauty  of  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  color  is  in  the  character  of  the  bars.  They  should  be 
parallel— that  is,  straight  across  the  feather,  not  breaking  at  the  quill,  and  not  crescentric  in 
form,  and  they  should  be  quite  sharply  defined.  The  ground  color  should  be  clean,  and  the 
dark  bar  should  be  free  from  greenish  or  brownish  tinge. 

Some  of  the  faults  indicated  in  the  last  paragraph  are  found  in  some  degree  in  nearly  all 
Barred  Plymouth  Rocks.  It  is"  only  by  using  specimens  as  free  as  possible  from  them  that  a 
breeder  succeeds  in  getting  plumage  on  his  fowls  that  makes  them  really  attractive,  and  it  is 
because  beginners  so  seldom  look  sharply  after  these  faults  that  the  first  few  years  of  work  with 
Barred  Rocks  so  often  results  in  striking  deterioration  from  the  quality  of  the  original  stock 
regardless  of  the  system  of  mating  used. 

The    Two    5ystems    of    Mating. 

The  average  beginner —  I  might  go  further  and  say  ninety-nine  in  every  hundred  persons 
who  begin  the  breeding  of  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks  accept  off-hand  the  principle  set  forth  by 
the  advocates  of  mating  standard  male  and  female  to  produce  standard  colored  progeny  of  both 
sexes.  The  advocates  of  single  matings  insist  that  thatsystem  should  be  followed  because  it  is 
right  in  principle.  So  the  beginner  follows  it  —  for  a  while. 

Now  because  I  went  through  all  that,  and  spent  a  good  deal  of  money  finding  out  for  myself 
that  the  other  way  was  better,  and  because  I  know  so  many  of  the  best  breeders  use  double 
matings,  and  so  few  do  not;  in  this  lesson  I  am  going  to  discuss  the  single  mating  system  with 
the  remark  that  if  one  wants  to  try  it  he  should  be  very  sure  that  the  birds  he  begins  with  are 
line  bred  that  way. 

The    Double    Mating    of    Barred   Rocks. 

This  system  calls  for  two  distinct  lines  of  stock  —  one  to  produce  standard  males,  the  other 
to  produce  standard  females.  A  breeder  who  wants  to  exhibit  and  sell  Barred  Rocks  to  a 
general  trade  must  mate  both  ways.  One  who  likes  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks,  and  can  keep 
only  one  mating,  can  breed  either  a  cockerel  or  a  pullet  line  and  produce  nice  stock  and  have  a 
stock  that  looks  as  well  in  his  yards  as  anyone's  —  for  be  it  remembered  the  specimens  mated  In 
the  show  room  for  exhibition  are  not,  as  a  rule,  mated  anywhere  else. 

Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  Barred  Rock  breeders  were  worried  by  the  tendency  of  the 
females  to  run  dark,  and  of  the  males  from  the  same  mating  to  run  light  in  color.  Finally 
someone  (I  believe  it  was  judge  H.  B.  May,  of  Natick,  Mass.,)  hit  upon  the  plan  of  a  special 
mating  for  each  sex.  The  results  were  so  satisfactory  that  the  idea  was  gradually  taken  up 
and  the  plan  followed  so  generally  arid  systematically  that  the  leading  stocks  of  Barred  Rocks 
in  the  country  are  now,  with  few  exceptions,  carefully  line  bred  for  many  years  with  distinct 
male  and  female  lines. 

The  special  mating  to  produce  males  takes  a  male  of  standard  or  exhibition  color  and 
mates  him  with  females  of  the  male  line,  that  is,  females  bred  as  he  is  bred.  Such  females  are 
considerably  darker  than  the  females  seen  in  the  shows,  but  must  be  well  and  strongly  barred. 
From  this  mating  come  males  the  color  of  the  sire;  females  the  color  of  the  dam. 


32  FIRST,    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Tlte  special  mutiny  LU  produce  females  mates  with  exhibition  females  cockerels  of  the 
female  line.  These  males  are  lighter  colored  than  the  females,  sometimes  very  light  in  color, 
but  always  must  be  distinctly  barred.  Males  from  such  matings  follow,  as  a  rule,  the  color  of 
the  sire ;  females  the  color  of  the  dam. 

The  breeder  of  Barred  Rocks  who  would  follow  this  system  of  breeding  should  buy  all  his 
stock  from  one  breeder,  and  have  him  make  the  matings.  The  common  practice  of  beginners 
buying  a  pen  or  trio  from  one  breeder,  and  a  pen  or  trio  from  another  breeder,  and  changing 
the  males  to  avoid  inbreeding  is  responsible  for  a  great  deal  of  unsatisfactory  results  in  all 
varieties,  but  in  none  is  the  risk  greater  than  in  Barred  Rocks.  Until  one  knows  his  own  stock 
and  knows  how  it  is  bred,  it  is  better  to  rely  on  the  breeder  of  his  original  stock  for  the  first 
mating,  and,  if  possible,  to  get  his  advice  and  buy  stock  needed  for  future  matings  from  him 
until  one  has  reason  to  taink  he  can  go  it  alone. 

Undercolor. 

The  Standard  requires  that  the  barring  on  the  feathers  of  the  Barred  Rock  extend  the  entire 
length  of  the  feather,  right  down  to  the  skin.  The  underbarring  need  not  be  as  distinct  as  on 
the  surface,  but  should  be  clearly  discernible.  Some  advanced  breeders  get  underbarriug  so 
strong  that  it  makes  a  smutty  surface,  but  the  beginner  errs  oftener  in  the  other  direction. 

Mating   Light  Brahmas. 

In  the  Light  Brahma,  Light  Brahma  Bantam,  and  Columbian  Wyandotte,  we  have  a  color 
combination,  perhaps  best  described  as  white  with  black  points — that  is,  the  white  greatly  pre- 
dominates in  the  surface  color,  the  black  appearing  only  in  a  few  sections,  i.  e.,  in  hackle,  wings 
and  tiil. 

In  the  hackle  the  black  is  in  the  form  of  a  heavy  black  stripe  in  the  middle  of  the  feather. 

In  the  tail  the  stiff  main  tail  feathers  should  be  solid  black;  the  sickles  and  larger  coverts 
black,  while  the  lesser  coverts  are  black  edged  with  white.  The  coverts  are  the  soft  somewhat 
curling  secondary  feathers  of  the  tail,  larger  next  the  main  feathers,  and  gradually  merging  into 
the  plumage  of  the  back  and  saddle. 

In  the  wings  the  largest  primary  or  flight  feathers  are  in  the  best  specimens  black  with  a 
narrow  edge  of  white  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  feather.  The  secondary  feathers  should  have 
enough  of  the  lower  web  of  each  white  to  make  the  folded  wing  white. 

The  undercolor  should  be  white  or  bluish  white,  and  it  is  desirable  that  sections  that  are 
white  on  the  surface  should  be  white  or  nearly  white  in  undercolor  except  near  their  juncture 
with  a  color  section  containing  black  in  surface  color,  where  a  darker  undercolor  is  not  objec- 
tionable. 

The  problem  in  mating  for  this  color  combination  is  to  keep  the  surface  colors  in  their  allotted 
places  as  intense  and  as  clean  as  possible.  As  in  all  color  combinations,  the  tendency  is  for  the 
colors  to  run  together.  While  no  double  mating  system  such  as  is  used  for  Barred  Plymouth 
Rocks  is  employed,  Light  Brahma  matings  generally  have  to  be  compensation  matings,  a  stand- 
ard male  with  a  female  not  so  intense  In  black  sections,  and  females  very  strong  in  color  with 
males  a  trifle  weak.  Two  birds  that  are  both  rather  dark  in  undercolor,  if  mated  together,  gen- 
erally give  chicks  with  much  splashing,  mottling,  and  ticking  of  black  in  surfaces  that  should 
be  white. 

Mating  Silver  Penciled  Varieties. 

In  all  the  varieties  so  far  considered  the  male  and  female  are  as  nearly  identical  in  color  and 
markings  in  every  section  as  the  art  of  the  breeder  can  make  them.  We  now  take  up  a  number 
of  varieties  in  which  the  male  and  the  female  are  not  the  same  color:  First,  we  consider  the 
silver  penciled  varieties— the  Dark  Brahma  and  the  Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte  — which  are 
practically  the  same  in  color. 

The  males  are  black,  or  black  slightly  frosted  with  white,  in  plumage  of  breast  an'd  body, 
white  on  the  back  and  wing  bows,  white  with  black  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  feathers, 
while  the  stiff  wing  and  tail  feathers  are  the  same  as  in  the  Light  Brahma,  except  that  the  wing 
coverts  are  black  and  make  the  black  bar  across  the  wing  when  folded.  This  gives  us  the 
"black-white"  color  combination. 


FIR  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  33 

The  females  are  like  the  males  in  color  only  in  the  hackle.  The  prevailing  color  of  the  female 
is  a  light  gray  with  distinct  dark  lines  of  penciling  following  the  outlines  of  the  feather,  the 
several  lines  of  penciling  on  each  feather  making  a  completely  penciled  surface.  The  main  tall 
feathers  are  black,  and  the  stiff  feathers  of  the  wing  are  black  and  a  penciled  gray  instead  of 
black  and  white,  as  in  the  wing  of  the  male. 

The  difficulties  in  breeding  this  combination  are  to  get  clean  colors  and  distinct  penciling  in 
all  sections  in  the  females,  and  to  get  good  black  breasts  in  the  males,  and  get  these  from  the 
same  matings.  One  of  the  best  of  our  breeders  who  breeds  both  these  varieties  gets  his  best 
results  from  well  penciled  females  mated  with  males  as  near  Standard  color  as  possible,  and 
known  to  be  from  well  penciled  hens.  Such  a  male  may  have  some  "frosting"  of  white  in  the 
black  of  the  breast  and  body,  which  is  a  fault  in  the  exhibition  pen,  but  not  so  much  so  in  the 
breeding  pen.  The  males  with  solid  black  breasts  are  apt  to  produce  females  that  are  too  dark 
and  not  well  laced. 

The  fault  in  quality  of  color  most  necessary  to  guard  against  is  a  brownish  tinge  in  the  females, 
and  red  or  brown  in  the  cape  or  back  of  the  male. 

Hating  Golden   Penciled   Varieties. 

In  these  two  varieties  with  "Partridge"  markings  constitute  one  type  of  the  black-red  color 
combination ;  these  are  the  Partridge  Cochin  and  the  Partridge  Wyaudotte,  in  which  the  mark- 
ings are  similar  to  those  of  the  Dark  Brahma  and  Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte. 

The  males  of  both  varieties  are  red  where  the  males  of  the  silver  penciled  varieties  are  white. 
The  females  of  the  "Partridge"  varieties  have  red  or  redish  brown  plumage  with  darker  brown 
penciling^. 

The  rules  for  mating  are  the  same.  Some  breeders  use  double  matings,  making  two  distinct 
lines  as  in  double  matings  of  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks.  Whether  the  practice  will  become  general, 
remains  to  be  seen. 

flating  Silver  Laced  Varieties. 

There  are  three  of  these:  the  Silver  Laced  Wyandotte,  the  Silver  Polish,  and  the  Silver 
Sebright  Bantam.  Though  not  alike  in  all  sections  they  have  a  general  resemblance.  The  con- 
spicuous difference  between  them  and  the  type  we  have  called  the  black-white  type,  is  that  in 
the?e  varieties  the  plumage  of  the  breast  and  body  has  the  same  markings  in  both  males  and 
females.  The  necks,  backs,  and  tails  of  the  males  of  the  Wyandotte  and  Polish  are  not  much 
different  from  those  of  the  silver  penciled  varieties,  but  in  the  Bantam  the  markings  are  like  the 
hen  throughout. 

We  will  consider  only  the  Wyandotte  in  this  lesson.  Originally  the  Silver  Laced  Wyandotte 
had  plumage  with  such  a  very  wide  lacing  of  black  that  the  white  centers,  were  so  small  that  it 
seemed  more  appropriate  to  consider  the  white  as  a  mark  on  the  black  rather  than  the  black  a 
lacing  around  the  white.  Of  late  years,  however,  there  has  been  a  change  to  a  more  "  open" 
center,  making  a  different  looking  and  very  much  handsomer  fowl.  What  puzzles  the  breeder 
is  to  get  these  lacings  uniform  all  over  the  female  and  in  the  laced  sections  of  the  male.  To 
accomplish  this  the  double  mating  system  seems  to  be  preferred  by  our  most  successful  breed- 
ers, two  distinct  lines  being  bred  as  with  the  Barred  Rock,  though  it  can  hardly  be  said  that  the 
lines  are  as  well  established  as  in  the  Rocks.  The  type  of  Silver  Wyandotte  color  has  changed 
so  much  that  we  must  regard  the  ideas  of  breeders  as  in  a  transition  stage,  and  that  being  the 
case  I  would  rather  advise  a  reader  handling  that  variety  to  either  find  out  what  lines  his  stock 
has  been  bred  on,  and  follow  same  lines,  or  supply  himself  with  all  the  literature  on  mating  the 
variety  he  can  get,  and  after  deciding  what  line  he  wants  to  follow  in  mating,  begin  to  build  the 
stock  on  that  line,  drawing  for  new  blood  as  needed  on  some  one  breeder  following  the  same 
line. 

Mating  Golden  Laced  Varieties. 

Here  we  have  the  three  varieties  discussed  above,  each  duplicated  in  its  own  breed  with  a 
variety  having  a  golden  or  bay  ground  color  of  plumage  instead  of  white,  as  in  the  Silvers. 
With  the  change  of  color,  the  principles  and  rules  of  mating  are  the  same. 

In  popularity  too,  the  Golden  Wyandottes,  Polish,  and  Sebright  Bantams  have  relatively 
much  the  same  positions  as  the  Silvers.  None  of  the  laced  varieties  are  as  yet  very  extensively 


34  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

bred.  Like  the  penciled  varieties  described  above,  they  have  been  too  difficult  for  the  average 
breeder,  but  as  knowledge  of  breeding  increases  there  is  more  and  more  disposition  to  take  up 
the  breeds  that  have  been  let  alone  because  they  were  difficult,  and  these  breeds  become  more 
and  more  popular. 

Mating  Brown   Leghorns. 

The  Brown  Leghorn  male  and  the  Partridge  Cochin  male  are  very  like  in  color,  but  the 
females  are  quite  different.  The  Partridge  Cochin  female  is  required  to  be  uniform  in  color 
throughout.  The  Brown  Leghorn  female  has  a  yellow  neck  with  black  stripe,  a  light  brown 
back  so  very  finely  penciled  as  to  produce  an  effect  quite  different  from  the  heavy  distinct  pen- 
ciling of  the  Cochin  and  Wyandotte.  The  breast  is  salmon  colored,  the  body  a  light  brown,  the 
tail  black  with  coverts  penciled  as  is  the  plumage  of  the  back,  the  wings  a  combination  of  slaty 
brown  and  light  brown  disposed  as  are  the  black  and  white  in  the  wing  of  the  Light  Brahma. 

To  produce  males  and  females  so  different,  the  double  mating  system  is  generally  used,  the 
exhibition  males  being  bred  from  exhibition  males  mated  with  females  of  the  same  line  of  breed- 
ing. Such  females  are,  as  a  rule,  much  too  dark  for  exhibition,  and  not  nearly  as  handsome  as 
the  exhibition  females.  The  exhibition  females  are  produced  from  exhibition  females  mated  to 
males  that  are  not  merely  of  the  same  line  of  breeding,  but  known  to  be  the  sous  of  exhibition 
females  of  the  highest  merit. 

The  exhibition  male  has,  or  should  have,  (he  does  not  always)  his  hackle  and  saddle  well 
striped  with  black,  but  no  striping  at  all  is  wanted  in  the  saddle  of  the  pullet  breeding  male, 
and  provided  a  stripe  is  present  in  his  hackle,  the  breeder  is  not  disposed  to  be  overparticular 
about  the  kind  of  stripe.  These  pullet  breeding  males  are  much  lighter  in  color,  a  light  orange 
where  the  others  are  red.  They  are  handsome  birds,  but  will  not  often  compare  for  depth  and 
brilliance  of  color  with  the  males  of  the  exhibition  type. 


The  Literature  of    Mating  Fowls. 

I  have  given  quite  briefly,  statements  about  color  matings  of  fowls  most  commonly  bred. 
What  has  been  given,  while  most  elementary  in  scope,  will  help  a  good  many  breeders,  will 
keep  them  from  getting  too  far  out  of  the  way  in  their  breeding  operations.  A  full  discussion 
of  the  mating  of  any  single  variety  will  easily  take  a  long  article.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  are 
few,  if  any,  special  articles  that  are  exhaustive,  complete,  and  leaving  nothing  unsaid.  So  to 
get  at  all  there  is  known  about  the  breed  or  variety  in  which  he  is  interested,  one  has  to  sys- 
tematically collect  articles,  booklets,  and  books  in  which  it  is  treated.  These  vary  greatly  in 
their  character.  Some  give  minute  descriptions  of  fowls  point  by  point,  some  are  largely  his- 
torical, some  are  devoted  almost  entirely  to  mating,  some  combine  all  these  features.  Some- 
times one  writer  in  an  article  that  is  on  the  whole  very  unsatisfactory  brings  out  valuable  points 
not  noticed  by  the  writer  of  a  better  and  much  more  complete  article. 

Thus  we  must  gather  up  our  information  little  by  little,  remembering  all  the  time  that  as  we 
grow  in  our  knowledge  of  a  breed  we  can  again  and  again  go  back  to  the  articles  we  have  read , 
and  in  the  light  of  our  added  knowledge  discover  in  them  information  we  had  not  found  at  any 
previous  reading.  Because  this  is  so  it  is  good  for  every  breeder  to  collect  as  much  as  he  can 
of  the  literature  pertaining  to  his  breed,  and  frequently  take  a  spare  hour  or  two  to  review  and 
think  it  over. 

With  regard  to  the  purchase  of  books,  which  in  cases  where  the  literature  of  a  breed  or 
variety  is  unusually  large,  might  mean  an  outlay  of  several  dollars,  if  one  is  going  to  breed  on  a 
considerable  scale  with  the  idea  of  selling  stock,  it  is  worth  his  while  to  get  everything  he  can 
on  his  subject,  even  though  some  of  the  books  contain  comparatively  little  that  seems  of  value 
to  him,  and  therefore  not  worth  their  price  considered  as  books.  That,  however,  is  not  the 
way  to  look  at  it.  If  I  buy  a  book  for  a  dollar  that  is  compared  with  some  other  book  treating 
on  the  subject  worth  not  more  than  ten  cents,  still  if  it  gives  me  one  item  of  useful  information 
I  had  not  before,  it  is  worth  the  money. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  35 


LESSON    V. 


Hatching    Chicks    With    Hens. 


WITHOUT  entering  here  into  a  discussion  of  the  relative  merits  and   advantages  of 
artificial  and  natural  systems  of  incubation,  I   want  to  state  first  of  all  that  many 
of  those,  who  do  not  get  satisfactory  results  by  natural  methods,  and  do  get  much 
better  results  by  artificial  methods  would  have  had  much  better  results  than  they 
did  by  natural  methods  if  they  had  been  as  careful  to  make  conditions  right  for  the  hens  to 
do  their  best,  as  they  try  to  be  with  the  incubators. 

The  cost  of  an  incubator,  the  value  of  the  eggs  required  to  fill  it,  and  the  fact  that  anything 
going  wrong  with  the  machine  may  mean  a  total  loss  of  the  eggs  put  into  the  machine,  and  of 
three  weeks  time,  makes  operators  of  incubators  appreciate  the  importance  of  doing  all  in 
their  power  to  make  conditions  for  a  good  hatch.  But  the  fact  that  a  hen  left  entirely  to 
herself  may  bring  off  a  good  hatch,  and  the  fact  that  hens  can  be  put  off  with  very  indifferent 
hatching  accommodations,  leads  many  poultry  keepers  to  do  their  hatching  with  hens  under 
conditions  not  favorable  to  good  hatching. 

"Whatever  is  worth  doing  is  worth  doing  well."  If  one  is  going  to  hatch  with  hens  he 
should,  as  far  as  possible,  give  the  hens  a  chance.  He  should  go  beyond  this,  and  seek  to 
avoid  all  things  which  operate  against  good  hatching  with  hens. 

Where    to    Set  the    Hens. 

Sitting  Hens  in  Eegular  Poultry  Houses.—  The  quarters  for  sitting  hens  should  be  com- 
fortable and  convenient  to  work  in.  If  possible  such  a  house  or  pen  as  is  used  for  laying  and 
breeding  stock  should  be  used  for  the  sitting  hens.  About  the  only  changes  desirable  are  the 
removal  of  unnecessary  fixtures,  and,  if  the  place  is  very  brightly  lighted,  some  darkening  of 
the  windows. 

The  floor  should  be  cleaned,  all  litter  and  manure  removed,  and,  if  the  floor  is  of  earth,  It 
should  be  forked  over,  to  give  as  clean  a  surface  as  possible. 

While  access  to  a  yard  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  I  consider  it  important;  for  my  experi- 
ence has  been  that,  on  the  whole,  hatches  were  better,  chickens  more  thrifty,  and  hens  kept 
in  better  condition  when  they  were  able  to  get  outdoors  every  time  they  came  off  the  nest. 

If  nests  are  placed  only  on  the  floor,  ranged  around  the  walls,  a  pen  will  accommodate  about 
the  same  number  of  sitters  as  it  will  of  layers.  It  can  be  used  for  a  few  more  than  it  is 
advisable  to  put  in  it  for  laying,  but  to  keep  down  the  work  of  caring  for  the  sitters  it  is  best 
not  to  crowd  them  too  much. 

Making  Special  Quarters  for  Sitting  Hens.— It  no  quarters  like  those  used  for  other  stock 
can  be  taken  for  hatching  purposes,  and  some  other  arrangement  has  to  be  made,  the  first  con- 
sideration is  to  see  that  it  provides  freedom  from  disturbance,  and  that  it  is  not  a  place  in  which 


36  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

it  will  be  inconvenient  to  care  for  the  hens.  Too  many  of  the  places  improvised  for  sitting  hens 
are  faulty  in  these  particulars,  and  as  a  result  the  hens  may  get  too  much  attention  from  others 
and  too  little  from  the  keeper. 

There  are  often  rooms,  or  sheds,  or  corners  in  large  buildings  that  can  be  partitioned  off  that, 
as  far  as  indoor  accommodations  go,  are  just  as  good  as  quarters  in  a  poultry  house,  but  often 
such  quarters  do  not  admit  of  letting  the  hens  out  doors  during  incubation,  and  in  case  it  is 
possible  to  make  arrangements  that  will  give  the  hens  a  daily  outing  that  ought  by  all  means  to 
be  done. 

It  is  also  important  in  taking  a  place  sometimes  used  for  other  purposes  for  sitting  hens,  not 
to  continue  its  use  for  other  purposes  if  that  would  at  all  interfere  with  the  proper  treatment  of 
the  hens  while  incubating. 

Individual  Compartments  for  Sitting  Hens. — My  experience  in  using  a  separate  small  coop 
for  each  sitter  never  went  beyond  the  experimental  stage,  because  I  never  had  average  hatches 
that  way  that  made  it  seem  worth  while  to  continue  any  of  the  numerous  arrangements  of  this 
kind  that  I  have  tried.  The  bens  confined  to  nests  and  to  very  small  runs  when  off  the  nest 
have  always  been  restless,  and  good  hatches  under  such  conditions  have,  with  me,  been  rare. 

The  Unit  of  Nest  Boxes  for  Sitting  Hens. 

The  single  nest  box  for  a  sitting  hen,  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing cut,  is  so  simple  and  works  so  well  that  it  seems  to  me  not 
necessary  to  discuss  other  possible  forms  of  nest  receptacles; 
barrels,  half  barrels,  and  boxes  in  almost  endless  variety  have 
been  used,  but  for  economy  of  material  and  room,  combined 
with  convenience,  1  have  never  seen  anything  that  approached 
a  system  of  nests  in  which  this  is  used  as  the  unit. 

The  most  convenient  dimensions  for  nests  for  medium  sized 
hens  are  12  x  14  in.  on  the  ground,  and  14  in.  high,  12  in.  high 
Single  Nest  Box  for  Sitting  Hen.  will  answer,  but  such  low  nests  are  not  as  convenient  for  hand- 
ling the  hens.  For  small  hens  12  x  12  on  the  ground  will  do,  but  I  would  not  advise  anyone 
cutting  up  lumber  for  nest  boxes  to  make  them  smaller  than  12  x  14  x  14  in.  Make  the  small 
nests  only  in  case  you  can  use  a  few  of  them  and  have  odds  and  ends  of  lumber  that  will  make 
them,  but  would  not  make  the  larger  size.  For  large  hens  make  nests  up  to  16  x  16  x  16  in 
size,  that  size  making  airoomy  nest  for  the  largest  Brahma  hens.  Note  that  very  much  of  the 
trouble  with  large  hens  breaking  eggs  is  due  to  their  not  having  room  to  turn  in  the  nest. 

This  nest  may  be  made  either  with  or  without  a  bottom.  For  single  nests  it  is  advisable  to 
have  a  bottom,  because  the  nest  is  so  light  that  it  is  easily  moved  out  of  position.  In  that  case 
if  the  nest  is  in  the  box  the  eggs  are  not  disturbed,  but  if  the  nest  box  is  simply  a  cover  over  a 
nest  built  on  the  ground  the  eggs  may  be  injured.  Where  double  or  triple  nests  are  used,  the 
weight  and  the  binding  of  the  earth  produced  by  shaping  a  nest  in  it  when  the  box  is  in  posi- 
tion, hold  the  nest  box  so  firmly  that  it  is  not  easily  displaced,  and  there  is  no  need  of  a  bottom 
unless  it  is  thought  advisable  to  have  nest  boxes  that  can  be  moved  with  the  hens  in  them  if 
desired. 

The  narrow  strip  at  the  bottom  of  the  front  of  the  box  should  be  3  to  4  in.  wide  according  to 
the  height  of  the  box. 

With  nest  boxes  of  this  construction  a  hen  cannot  jump  down  on  the  eggs  as  she  may  if  set  in 
a  barrel  or  half  barrel,  or  box  open  at  the  top,  while  it  is  very  much  easier  to  inspect  the  nest 
when  the  hen  is  on  by  simply  putting  a  hand  under  the  hen  and  lifting  her  body  enough  to  let 
you  see  the  eggs.  She  is  disturbed  but  little  by  this,  when  she  would  be  much  annoyed  by 
being  lifted  off  to  let  the  attendant  see  the  eggs  from  above. 

The  Beginning  of  a  System  of  Nest  Boxes. 

In  the  double  nest  box  shown  in  the  illustration  on  the  next  page,  we  have  the  beginning  of  a 
system  of  nests  based  on  the  unit  just  described.  This  box  also  has  a  movable  front  which  can 
be  used  to  confine  the  hens  to  the  nests.  1  have  sometimes  made  nests  in  sets  of  three  or  four, 
but  for  my  own  use  prefer  to  have  them  in  pairs,  because  more  easily  handled  and  generally 
fitting  better  into  spaces  available. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  37 

Placing  Nests  for  Sitters  in  Tiers. 

"When  it  is  desired  to  set  many  more  hens  in  a  room  than  can  be  accommodated  with  nests  on 
the  floor,  poultrymen  sometimes  build  the  nests  in  tiers,  two,  three,  or  more  tiers  high,  and 
instead  of  a  loose  front,  like  that  shown  in  the  illustration  of  the  double  nest,  make  a  slat  (lath) 
front,  hinged  to  the  strip  at  the  bottom  of  the  front  of  the  nest,  and  either  supported  by  a 
bracket  below  or  by  a  string  or  hook  from  above,  so  that  when  open  it  makes  a  shelf  for  hens 
to  go  on  when  leaving  and  entering  the  nest. 

This  arrangement  of  nests  may  be  made  with  the  nests  built  in  large  sections,  each  the  full 
height  of  the  combined  tiers,  or  with  each  small  section  of  two,  three,  or  four  nests  independent 
of  the  others  and  combining  like  the  sections  in  a  sectional  book  case.  When  constructed  in 
this  way  the  nests  must,  of  course,  have  wooden  bottoms. 

How    to    Make    a    Nest. 

In  a  Nest  Box  With  a  Bottom  the  nest  may  be  made  of  earth  covered  with  fine  straw 
or  hay,  or  of  straw  or  hay  alone.  The  nest  on  a  base  of  earth  is  usually  more  satisfactory  if 
properly  shaped;  if  not  properly  shaped  at  the  start,  hens  are  more  likely  to  break  eggs  and 
crush  chicks  in  it  than  in  a  nest  of  all  hay  or  straw,  because  the  latter  will  improve  in  shape 
as  a  result  of  the  movements  of  the  hen,  while  the  earth  base  formed  once,  there  is  no  altera- 
tion in  its  form. 

To  make  the  base  of  earth  for  the  nest:  Take  a  shovelful  of  fine  loam,  not  wet,  but  moist; 
put  it  in  the  nest  box,  and  with  the  hand  make  a  hollow  nest,  working  the  earth  up  to  the 

corners  and  around  the  sides,  but  leaving  the 
bottom  of  the  nest,  while  a  little  hollow,  not  so 
much  so  that  eggs  will  roll  to  the  middle.  Now, 
after  having  worked  the  earth  quite  firm  and  smooth 

\Cgn      \  <in       X         with  the  palm  of  the  hand,  take  a  good  handful  of 

«  V          •  j'-K        ^S     soft  hay  or  straw  —  not  too  long — say  six  or  eight 

inches  long,  and  make  the  nest  of  it,  distributing  it 
evenly  over  the  earth  base,  and  working  with  the 
hand  until  you  have  it  smooth  and  well  pressed  down. 
It  does  not  take  as  long  to  do  this  as  to  tell  about 
it.  If  it  is  not  well  done  the  hen  will  undertake  to 
do  it  herself  with  the  eggs  in  the  nest,  and  the  result 
Double  Nest  Box  for  Sitters.  is  apt  to  be  hard  on  the  eggs  and  also  on  the  temper 

a  — Wooden  latch  to  hold  front  in  place.        of  the  keeper. 

When  a  Nest  is  Made  Without  Earth  in  the  box,  more  nest  material  is  used  ;  it  must  be 
much  more  carefully  shaped,  and  it  does  not  hold  the  shape  given  it  as  well — which  is  or  is  not 
a  fault  according  as  the  work  was  well  or  badly  done. 

To  Make  a  Nest  on  an  Earth  Floor  the  box  is  placed  in  position  and  the  earth  shaped  just 
as  if  earth  had  been  put  into  the  box.  All  lumps  of  earth  must  be  broken  fine,  and  all  stones 
or  large  gravel  must  be  removed.  Then  the  nesting  material  must  be  put  in  as  described 
above. 

A  Few  Observations  on  Nest  Materials. —  Hay  and  straw,  cut  short,  do  not  make  good 
nests,  because  the  material  works  about,  and  does  not  retain  the  shape  given  it. 

Excelsior  makes  a  very  good  nesting  material. 

Waste  tobacco  leaves  and  stems  make  good  nest  material,  whether  used  with  other  material 
to  keep  lice  out,  or  used  alone. 

Nests  of  earth  without  other  material,  I  have  never  found  satisfactory.  True,  hens  that  steal 
their  nests  and  make  such  nests  in  them  sometimes  do  well,  but  oftener  they  break  eggs  in  them, 
just  as  hens  do  in  any  poorly  formed  nest,  and  a  good  proportion  of  the  stolen  nests  are  poorly 
formed.  A  hen  by  no  means  always  makes  a  good  nest,  and  seeing  that  the  nest  is  a  good  one 
is  one  way  in  which  a  poultryman  can  improve  on  nature. 


38  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Selection    of    Sitting     Hens. 

Because  not  all  hens  that  have  the  disposition  to  incubate  make  good  sitters,  there  must  be  a 
judicious  selection  of  the  hens  to  be  used  for  hatching.  Otherwise,  good  hatches  will  not  be  as 
frequent  as  they  should  —  to  say  nothing  of  the  difference  in  the  work  of  handling  good  and 
poor  sitters. 

While  no  rule  will  apply  universally,  I  think  it  will  be  found  to  be  the  general  rule  that 
rather  small  hens  make  the  best  sitters,  but  large  hens  the  bes^t  mothers.  The  superiority  of  the 
small  hen  as  a  sitter  is  not  due  altogether  to  her  light  weight,  and  the  greater  danger  of  a 
large  hen  breaking  eggs  —  particularly  when,  as  is  too  often  the  case,  the  large  hen  is  set  in  a 
nest  none  too  large  for  a  small  one.  The  great  superiority  of  the  small  hen  in  incubation  is 
that  she  is,  as  a  rule,  more  warm  blooded,  generates  heat  more  rapidly.  When  it  comes  to 
brooding  the  chicks,  her  small  size  and  short  plumage  handicap  her,  and  the  chicks  quickly 
reach  such  a  stage  of  growth  that  she  is  too  small  a  brooder  for  the  chicks  she  hatched,  and 
unless  the  weather  is  very  mild  her  chicks  cease  to  thrive. 

The  small  hen  often  has  the  objectionable  trait  of  being  wild  and  nervous,  not  docile  and 
easily  handled  as  a  sitter  should  be.  This  fault  can  generally  be  overcome  by  judicious  hand- 
ling. While  I  do  not  think  it  is  as  necessary  as  some  authorities  on  poultry  keeping  say,  to 
"  be  sure  your  hen  wants  to  sit"  before  you  give  her  the  eggs  you  want  her  to  incubate,  I 
do  consider  it  very  necessary  to  be  sure  your  hen  will  allow  herself  to  be  handled  before  you 
set  her.  Hens  that  are  unmanageable  provoke  tempers  that  are  out  of  place  among  sitting 
hens,  and  the  result  is  likely  to  be  unsatisfactory.  Be  sure  then,  that  the  broody  hen  will 
allow  herself  to  be  bandied,  by  dusk  or  dark,  if  not  by  daylight. 

Temperature  of  Hens.— That  the  temperatures  of  hens  vary,  and  that  hens  that  seem  very 
hot,  generally  make  the  best  hatches,  is,  I  believe,  agreed  among  poultry  keepers  who  have 
closely  observed  conditions  of  hatching  by  natural  methods.  The  difference  in  temperatures 
is  apparent  to  the  touch  if  hens  are  so  handled  that  the  palm  of  the  hand  comes  in  contact 
with  the  body  of  the  hen,  which  is  generally  partially  stripped  of  feathers  when  she  begins  to 
incubate.  If,  in  handling  several  hens,  you  find  one  that  seems  to  have  perceptibly  less  heat 
than  the  others,  do  not  use  her;  or,  if  you  use  her,  watch  her  eggs  and  chicks  and  you  will 
nearly  always  find  her  a  poor  hatcher  and  a  poor  mother.  Some  poultrymeu  who  batch  large 
numbers  of  chicks  with  hens,  overcome  the  effect  of  using  these  low  temperature  hens  for 
sitters  by  changing  them  from  nest  to  nest,  so  that  a  low  temperature  hen  will  not  be  likely 
to  be  on  the  same  eggs  for  more  than  a  day  at  a  time,  and  perhaps  not  for  more  than  one  day 
during  the  entire  period  of  incubation.  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  however,  I  think  it  is 
better  to  reject  low  temperature  hens  when  selecting  sitters,  for  with  no  more  hens  sitting  at 
one  time  than  on  the  ordinary  plant  where  hatching  is  by  natural  methods,  it  is  an  advantage  to 
have  the  hens  keep  the  same  nests. 

When  and   How  to  Set  Hens. 

"When  a  hen  is  not  to  sit  in  the  nest  she  has  been  laying  in,  it  is  best  that  she  should  be  moved 
after  dark.  It  is  not  in  all  cases  necessary  to  do  so,  but  it  will  be  found  that  a  much  larger  pro- 
portion of  the  hens  will  settle  down  quietly  in  their  new  quarters  if  moved  after  dark,  and  their 
nests  kept  darkened  until  they  are  let  out  to  feed  just  before  dark  the  next  evening. 

If  there  are  many  hens  to  be  moved,  and  they  have  to  be  moved  some  distance,  it  is  a  good 
idea  to  have  a  coop  to  move  them  in,  but  if  only  a  few  hens  at  a  time,  and  no  great  distance, 
take  one  hen  under  each  arm  and  carry  them.  Whether  carried  separately  by  hand  or  in  coops, 
the  hens  should  be  handled  gently  and  not  excited. 

A  novice  in  handling  sitting  hens  may  find  it  better  to  keep  them  on  nest  eggs  for  a  few  days 
while  breaking  them  and  himself  in.  After  one  is  sure  of  his  steps  it  saves  time  to  have  the 
eggs  that  are  to  be  incubated  in  the  nests  when  the  hens  are  moved  to  them. 

Except  with  the  quietest  hens  it  is  necessary  to  close  the  nests  after  the  hens  are  put  on  them, 
and  advisable  to  darken  them.  When  I  use  a  single  open  nest  I  put  a  wide  board  in  front  of  it. 
For  darkening  nests,  like  that  in  the  second  illustration,  we  use  an  old  grain  sack.  With  the 
nests  darkened,  and  the  place  quiet,  the  hens  will  nearly  always  settle  down  to  business. 


FIRST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  39 

About  Eggs  For  Hatching. 

The  eggs  intended  to  be  incubated  should  be  kept  in  a  dry  place  at  a  rather  cool  temperature, 
say  40  to  50  degrees. 

It  is  not  advisable  to  keep  them  longer  than  two  weeks  before  being  incubated,  and  the  fresher 
they  are  when  set  the  better  chances  of  a  good  hatch  and  strong  chicks. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  turn  eggs  while  kept  in  this  way,  nor  does  the  position  of  the  egg, 
whether  on  the  side  or  on  an  end  make  any  difference. 

Only  well  formed  eggs  with  good  strong  shells  should  be  set.  A  great  deal  of  the  breakage  of 
eggs  of  which  people  using  hens  for  hatching  complain  Is  of  thin  shelled  and  imperfect  eggs. 
There  is  less  breakage  of  such  eggs  in  incubators  than  under  hens,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether 
there  is  any  real  gain  in  hatching  them. 

When  eggs  are  bought  outside  and  delivered  by  rail  or  wagon  they  should  be  rested  for  a  day 
before  being  placed  under  hens.  This  is  to  allow  the  contents  of  the  egg,  sometimes  much 
shaken  up  in  transit,  to  regain  their  normal  condition. 

When  setting  such  eggs  it  is  a  good  plan  to  divide  each  sitting,  and  under  each  hen  used  plan* 
some  of  the  boughten  and  some  of  one's  own  eggs.  This  gives  a  better  opportunity  to  deter- 
mine whether  a  poor  hatch  is  due  to  poor  eggs  or  to  some  cause  for  which  the  party  from  whom 
they  were  purchased  is  not  in  any  way  responsible. 

Number  of  Eggs  to  a  Hen. — This  must  depend  on  the  season,  and  on  the  size  of  the  hen. 
The  usual  number  for  an  average  sized  hen  in  the  spring  is  thirteen.  The  same  hen  set  in 
winter  should  not  be  given  more  than  eleven.  After  the  middle  of  May  she  would  generally 
take  care  of  fifteen  average  eggs. 

If  one  is  in  any  doubt  as  to  how  many  eggs  he- ought  to  give  a  hen  he  should  err  on  the  safe 
side  and  give  a  number  he  is  sure  is  not  too  large,  for  when  too  many  eggs  are  given  a  hen 
every  egg  in  the  lot  is  likely  to  be  somewhat  chilled  at  some  period  of  incubation. 

Food  For  Sitting  Hens. 

Nothing  could  be  simpler  and  easier  than  the  feeding  of  sitting  hens.  All  they  need  is  whole 
corn  and  water.  Though  I  have  tried  other  rations  the  hens  have  never  seemed  to  me  either  to 
keep  in  as  good  condition  or  to  hatch  as  well  as  when  fed  on  corn  alone.  The  condition  of  the 
hen  is  not  at  this  time  normal.  She  needs  food  that  will  generate  in  her  body  heat  to  be  trans- 
mitted to  her  eggs,  and  whole  corn  seems  to  be  the  perfect  food  for  the  sitting  hen.  She  can 
eat  a  crop  full  in  a  few  minutes.  Being  inactive,  she  digests  it  slowly,  can  get  along  on  one 
meal  a  day,  and  I  have  had  a  good  many  hens  that  would  leave  the  nest  to  feed  only  every  other 
day,  yet  keep  in  good  condition  and  make  good  hatches. 

Care  of  Sitting  Hens. 

Assuming  that  the  hens  when  set  were  confined  to  the  nests,  and  they  should  be  unless  it  is 
certain  that  they  will  not  leave  them,  (some  hens  are  so  quiet  that  there  is  practically  no  doubt 
that  they  can  be  set  anywhere,  and  from  the  first  be  trusted  to  come  off  to  feed  and  go  right 
back  of  their  own  accord),  they  should  have  an  opportunity  to  leave  the  nest  within  twenty- 
four  hours  after  being  set,  and  if  they  do  not  come  off  of  their  own  accord  should  be  taken  off, 
for  if  they  do  not  leave  the  nest  and  void  their  excrement  now,  they  are  almost  certain  to  foul 
the  nests  before  the  corresponding  time  on  the  following  day,  and  during  the  first  days  of  incu- 
bation the  change  of  conditions  and  food  often  produce  a  disturbance  of  the  bowels,  and  for 
awhile  some  hens  will  be  loose  and  unable  to  retain  the  excrement  as  long  as  they  will  later. 
Hence,  even  if  a  hen  is  not  hungry,  and  eats  little  or  nothing,  it  is  important  to  have  her  off  tbe 
nest  daily  at  first. 

Hens  that  are  handled  without  any  trouble  may  be  let  off  the  nests  at  any  time  convenient  for 
the  attendant.  With  hens  that  are  inclined  to  be  shy,  the  easiest  way  to  break  them  to  return 
promptly  to  the  nest  in  a  strange  place  is  to  let  them  off  just  long  enough  before  dark  to  give 
them  time  to  feed.  They  will  often  return  to  the  nest  quietly  at  this  time,  when  if  let  off  early 
in  the  day  they  would  make  a  great  fuss,  and  if  handled  roughly  give  the  business  up  altogether. 
At  dusk  hens  that  do  not  go  back  of  their  own  accord  are  more  easily  caught,  and  settle  down 
quietly  when  returned  to  the  nest. 


40  FIRST    LE8SONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Having  returned  to  her  nest  once  of  her  own  accord,  a  hen  may,  as  a  rule,  be  allowed  to 
leave  it  at  any  time  convenient  for  the  attendant,  and  unless  there  is  something  wrong  with  the 
hen  or  the  nest,  will  generally  go  back  within  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  which  is  about  as 
long  as  it  is  safe  to  have  the  eggs  uncovered  in  cold  or  very  cool  weather.  On  bright  warm 
days  hens  may  remain  off  the  nest  half  an  hour  to  an  hour  without  the  eggs  .being  any  the  worse 
for  it.  Indeed,  the  general  rule  is  that  the  colder  blooded  hens  stick  closest  to  the  nests,  while 
the  hot  blooded  ones  give  so  much  heat  to  their  eggs  that  the  nest  gets  uncomfortably  warm, 
and  they  leave  it  for  their  own  comfort,  and  instinct  seems  to  prompt  them  to  let  their  eggs 
cool  longer  than  the  cold  blooded  hen  does. 

When  Many  Sitters  are  in  the  tiame  Room  it  might  cause  trouble  to  release  them  all 
at  once,  especially  if  they  came  from  different  flocks.  There  are  several  ways  of  keeping  things 
working  smoothly.  , 

If  the  hens  were  all  set  at  the  same  time,  and  all,  or  any  considerable  part  of  them,  are  so  shy 
that  it  is  advisable  to  let  them  off  late  in  the  day,  the  attendant  can  watch  them  while  off,  and 
interfere  if  they  go  to  fighting.  If  he  does  not  wish  to  watch  them  daily  he  can,  within  a  few 
days,  arrange  to  let  them  off  at  different  times  in  pairs  or  small  squads,  leaving  the  more 
troublesome  ones  to  the  last. 

If,  as  is  the  case  on  most  small  plants,  the  hens  set  in  a  pen  are  set  a  few  at  a  time,  they  are 
broken  to  return  to  the  nest  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  set,  and  when  new  hens  are 
set  the  others  can  be  released  at  intervals  earlier  in  the  day. 

On  a  larger  scale  of  operations,  if  several  rooms  or  pens  are  required  for  sitters,  they  can 
be  prepared  at  the  same  time,  a  few  hens  set  in  each,  then  a  few  more,  and  so  on  until  filled. 
This  admits  of  gradually  breaking  in  a  large  number  of  sitters  to  the  desired  routine  without 
having  to  watch  them  when  off  the  nests.  Thus  it  is  possible  to  establish  a  routine  of  releas- 
ing sitters  which  will  enable  one  to  do  all  the  work  of  caring  for  them  as  he  goes  about  his 
other  work,  yet  take  so  little  time  for  it  that  he  never  feels  it  as  a  burden  —  in  fact,  hardly 
notices  it. 

The  routine  just  described  will  apply  when  up  to  twenty  or  twenty-five  hens  are  sitting  in 
the  same  place,  but  with  larger  numbers  together,  as  there  often  are  when  nests  are  several 
tiers  high,  it  becomes  necessary  to  let  many  hens  off  at  the  same  time,  watch  them  to  some 
extent  while  off,  and  return  them  to  the  nests  after  a  sufficient  time  off  has  been  given  them. 

Importance   of  Confining    Hens   to  Nests. 

I  have  always  had  better  hatches,  on  the  whole,  when  I  kept  nests  closed  except  when  the 
hens  were  off  for  food,  etc.  By  doing  so,  one  is  sure  that  no  nest  is  uncovered  too  long,  and  no 
serious  interference  of  hens  going  on  without  his  knowledge.  Making  this  the  rule  insures 
against  the  most  common  causes  of  spoiled  eggs.  It  is  one  of  the  little  things  that  it  pays  to  do, 
and  the  rule  should  be  broken  only  in  emergencies. 

Keeping  Sitting  Hens'  Quarters  Clean. 

General  Cleanliness.— The  dung  of  the  sitting  hen  has  a  peculiarly  strong  and  offensive 
odor,  hence  the  importance  of  removing  it  daily.  If  it  is  not  removed  promptly  from  a  pen  in 
which  there  are  many  hens  sitting  the  place  soon  gets  very  dirty.  When  hens  are  set  in  tiers, 
many  in  a  small  room,  some  poultry  keepers  as  they  watch  them  remove  the  dung,  which  is 
voided  in  large  lumps,  at  once.  If  they  did  not  do  this  the  floor  would  soon  be  filthy,  though 
cleaned  daily. 

Keeping  the  Nests  Clean. — Absolute  cleanliness  irt  the  nests  is  a  condition  of  good  hatching. 
If  a  nest  is  fouled,  or  if  eggs  are  broken  in  it,  it  should  be  cleaned,  the  eggs  washed  in  luke- 
warm water,  the  soiled  nest  material  removed  and  the  nest  made  new  as  soon  as  possible. 
Generally  it  will  do  no  great  harm  if  a  nest  goes  for  twenty-four  hours  uncleaned,  but  it  should 
not  go  longer.  There  is  some  excuse  for  that  much  delay  because  it  is  not  advisable  to  disturb 
the  hens  to  inspect  the  nests.  The  inspection  of  nests  should  be  made  as  the  hens  come  off  to 
feed.  If  the  nest  is  in  very  bad  condition  it  should  be  cleaned  up  at  once.  If  not  very  bad  note 
should  be  made  of  it,  and  all  nests  which  need  cleaning  cleaned  as  soon  as  the  attendant  can 
conveniently  do  so. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 
Treating  Nests  and   Hens  for  Lice. 


41 


Insecticides.— Tobacco  leaves  and  stems,  as  noted  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  are  often  used 
to  keep  lice  away  from  sitting  hens.  When  these  are  not  used  the  nest  should  be  liberally 
sprinkled  with  a  good  insect  powder  when  made.  Then  a  few  days  later  the  hen  may  be  lifted 
from  the  nest  in  the  evening  and  well  dusted  with  insect  powder.  Another  dusting  of  the  hen 
about  the  middle  of  the  hatch,  and  a  third  just  before  the  eggs  begin  to  pip  will  generally  insure 
chicks  freedom  from  lice  when  they  hatch,  and  make  it  unnecessary  to  treat  them  for  lice  in  the 
nests. 

The  Dust  Bath.— When  the  earth  of  the  floor  of  the  place  where  the  hens  are  set  is  clean  and 
fine  and  dry  enough  that  affords  them  a  suitable  place  for  wallowing,  and  hens  that  make 
liberal  use  of  it  will  keep  in  much  better  condition  than  those  that  go  back  to  the  nest  quickly 
after  eating  their  fill.  Wallowing  gives  them  vigorous  exercise,  and  also  keeps  the  feathers 
clean.  When  there  is  a  yard  accessible,  and  the  ground  dry  enough,  hens  will  by  preference 
go  out  in  the  sun  to  wallow,  but  this  is  too  uncertain  to  rely  upon. 

Testing  the  Eggs. 

It  is  always  best  to  test  eggs  as  soon  as  they  have  incubated  long  enough  to  show  develop- 
ment, and  remove  all  infertile  eggs  and  all  showing  dead  germs  or  a  general  breaking  up  of  the 
liquid  contents  of  the  egg.  It  is  such  eggs  that  are  most  likely  to  break,  and  when  they  do 
break  make  the  worst  mess  of  the  nest. 

Egg  testers  are  sold  by  all  dealers  in  poultry  supplies.  One  of  the  most  common  forms  is  a 
metal  chimney  to  go  on  an  ordinary  lamp.  One  side  of  the  chimney  at  the  point  opposite  the 
flame  of  the  lamp,  is  cut  out  and  fitted  with  a  piece  of  heavy  felt  in  which  is  an  oval  hole  of 
such  dimensions  that  when  an  egg. is  held  before  it,  the  light  shines  through  the  egg,  and  what- 
ever developments  are  made  inside  the  egg  can  be  seen. 

A  home  made  tester  may  be  made  of  a  box  of  such  size  as  to  contain  a  common  hand  lamp. 
The  accompanying  illustration  shows  how  such  a  tester  may  be  made.  .White  shelled  eggs 
may  be  tested  at  the  fourth  or  fifth  day.  Dark  shelled  eggs  can 
sometimes  be  tested  at  the  fifth  day,  but  when  the  shells  are 
thick  and  strong,  as  well  as  dark,  it  is  as  well  to  let  testing  go 
until  the  seventh  day. 

The  most  pronounced  indications  of  fertility  and  beginning 
development  of  the  chick  are  a  clearly  defined  air  space  at  the 
large  end  of  the  egg,  (the  egg  should  be  tested  large  end  up),  and 
a  cloudy  appearance,  densest  in  the  upper  part  of  the  egg. 

An  absolutely  clear  egg  is  either  an  infertile  egg  or  one  in  which 
the  germ  did  not  develop  far  enough  for  its  death  to  immediately 
cause  decomposition  to  begin  about  it. 

An  infertile  egg  will  not  decompose  during  the  period  of  incuba- 
tion, but  would  be  clear  if  allowed  at  the  end  of  three  weeks  to 
remain  under  the  hen  the  full  period. 

Heavy  red  lines  or  clots  in  the  egg  indicate  dead  germs.    In  a 
white  egg  a  spider  like  red  spot  is  often  seen  at  the  first  test.    This 
is  the  beginning  of  the  development  of  the  arterial  system,  and  the 
Home  Made  Egg  Tester.          egg  showing  it  is  all  right. 

When  the  air  space,  as  seen  through  the  tester,  is  not  permanently  defined,  but  the  line 
between  it  and  the  fluids  of  the  egg  moves  as  the  egg  is  turned  about,  the  germ  is  dead,  and  the 
€gg  is  decomposing. 

The  various  conditions  described  above  are  not  always  unmistakably  plain.  Practice  is 
required  before  one  becomes  expert  in  distinguishing  them.  In  all  cases  where  there  is  doubt, 
mark  the  egg  and  leave  it  for  the  next  test,  which  should  be  made  about  the  end  of  the  second 
week.  At  that  time  the  air  space  should  show  very  plain,  while  all  below  it  is  dark. 

Chilled    Eggs. 

If  the  instructions  given  in  this  lesson  in  regard  to  keeping  nests  closed  are  followed,  there 
will  be  chilled  eggs  only  in  case  of  a  hen  becoming  sick,  or  dying  on  the  nest,  or  refusing  to 


42  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

sit.  Such  cases  do  occur,  but  ihe  most  common  cause  of  chilled  eggs  is  two  hens  taking  the 
same  nest,  and  leaving  a  nest  uncovered.  In  freezing  weather  an  hour  is  about  the  limit  of  time 
that  eggs  under  ordinary  conditions  can  be  uncovered  and  etill  hatch.  In  warm  weather  they 
may  be  uncovered  for  several  hours,  or  even  all  day  without  injury. 

When   the    Chicks    are    Hatching. 

After  the  eggs  begin  to  pip,  hens  should  not  be  disturbed  more  than  is  necessary.  It  is 
quite  necessary,  however,  to  look  under  the  bens  occasionally  to  see  that  everything  is  right. 
Some  bens  become  very  nervous  at  this  time,  move  about  and  break  the  eggs.  Such  hens 
should  be  removed  if  possible  and  quieter  hens  that  have  eggs  not  far  advanced  exchanged  for 
them.  By  shifting  hens  in  this  way  when  necessary,  much  of  the  loss  common  at  this  stage 
is  saved.  ^ 

It  is  at  this  time  that  a  badly  formed  nest  causes  most  trouble.  If  the  nest  is  too  dishing,  the 
eggs  tend  to  roll  to  the  center,  and  crush  in  the  shells  of  picked  eggs,  and  often  crush  chicks  as 
soon  as  out  of  the  shell. 

There  are  also  some  hens  that  will  kill  their  chicks  as  hatched.  One  must  watch  for  these, 
exchange  them  for  others,  and,  of  course,  take  them  out  of  the  sitters' pens  as  soon  as  their 
services  can  be  dispensed  with. 

If,  as  sometimes  happens,  a  part  of  the  eggs  in  each  nest  hatch  a  day  or  so  ahead  of  the 
others,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  give  some  of  the  hens  the  chicks,  and  others  the  eggs  yet  to  hatch. 
This  gives  much  better  chance  of  good  chicks  from  the  last  eggs. 

As  a  general  rule,  eggs  that  have  not  hatched  by  the  morning  of  the  twenty-second  day,  will 
not,  even  if  they  do  hatch  after  that,  produce  chicks  worth  keeping. 

Many  people  consider  it  an  indication  of  exceptional  vitality  to  have  chicks  come  out  in 
nineteen  days,  but  I  think  most  close  observers  will  agree  that  the  chick  that  takes  twenty  to 
twenty-one  days  to  develop  makes  the  best  chick. 

Helping  Chicks   Out  of  the    Shell. 

As  a  rule,  it  is  best  to  let  chicks  get  out  by  themselves.  The  chick  that  needs  help  is  not 
often  good  enough  to  make  it  worth  while  to  fuss  with  it. 


FIRST    LESSO* *    1\    POULTRY 


LESSON    VI. 


Rearing    Chicks    With    Hens, 


BEFORE  discussing  the  care   of  chicks  with  hens,  we  must  consider  the  question  of 
coops  for  hens  with  chicks.    As  we  found  in  the  last  lesson  that  the  necessary  appli- 
ances for  hatching  chicks  with  hens  were  very  few,  simple,  and  inexpensive,  and  that 
the  point  of  most  importance  was  to  provide  quarters  where  the  hens  and  nests  would 
be  as  free  as  possible  from  all  kinds  of  interference,  and  at  the  same  time  the  place  be  con- 
venient for  the  attendant;  so  in  rearing  chicks  with  hens  we  find  that  the  appliances  essential 
when  conditions  are  ideal  are  simple,  and  that  a  variety  of  makeshifts,  costing  practically 
nothing,  are  used  by  poultrymen.    As  special  conditions  have  to  be  considered,  we  have  to 
give  more  attention  to  providing  appliances  to  meet  those  conditions,  yet  in  no  case  need  these 
appliances  be  such  that  a  man  handy  with  tools  could  not  make  them  for  himself  with  little 
expense  for  material. 

The  primitive  style  of  chicken  coop  was  probably  an  old  barrel  lying  on  its  side  on  the 
ground,  with  stakes  driven  into  the  ground 
across  the  open  end,  to  confine  the  hen  while 
giving  the  chicks  liberty.  A  wide  board  closed 
the  end  of  the  barrel  at  night,  or  at  any  time  it 
was  desired  to  confine  the  chicks;  this  board 
being  simply  set  in  position  and  held  there  by 
a  stone,  brick,  or  block  of  wood.  Barrels  are 
often  so  used  still. 

An  improvement   on    this   form    of   quickly 
improvised  coop  was  the  box  turned  over  on  Common  A  Shaped  Coop. 

one  side,  with  slats  nailed  across  the  open  front.  Should  be  not  less  than  12  inches  wide;  14  or  16  inches 
With  boxes  of  good  size,  and  fairly  substantial  is  better.  Length  of  sides  about  3  ft. 

construction,  such  an  arrangement  is  still  a  good  one  where  there  are  few  enemies  to  molest 
the  chicks,  and  they  can  have  good  range.  The  principal  objection  to  it  is  that  the  hen  is  rather 
closely  confined. 

Of  coops  made  for  the  purpose,  the  simplest  is  the  common  ^  shaped  coop  illustrated  above. 
I  do  not  recommend  it  except  as  an  emergency  coop.  It  can  be  quickly  and  easily  made,  and 
almost  any  old  material  will  work  into  it,  so  if  a  coop  is  needed  in  a  great  hurry  this  will  do. 

A  better  form  of  this  style  coop  is  the  v  shaped  coop  with  pen  and  movable  shelter  board 
shown  in  the  accompanying  cut. 

This  coop  may  be  made  either  with  or  without  floor.  If  to  be  used  on  heavy  soil  that  holds 
the  water  after  a  rain,  it  should  have  a  floor.  If  used  on  land  that  drains  quickly,  no  floor  is 
needed.  Many  people  use  and  like  these  A  shaped  coops.  It  has  always  seemed  to  me  that 
must  be  because  they  were  used  to  them,  and  had  not  tried  the  other  style.  I  might  use  such 
coops  temporarily,  but  for  a  regular  thing  I  prefer  a  box  coop  in  its  general  makeup  resem- 
bling the  coop  shown  below  with  knock  down  pen. 


44 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING 
Advantage    of    Box    Style    Coops. 


One  advantage  of  this  style  of  coop  is  that  the  entire  floor  space  in  the  coop,  and  ground 
space  in  the  pen,  are  available  for  the  hen  as  well  as  for  the  chicks.    In  the  A  shaped  coop 

the  ben  can  stand  upright  only  in  the  middle  of  the 
coop.  This  gives  her  actually  much  less  room  than 
she  appears  to  have,  and  this  close  confinement  in 
coops  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  hens  sometimes  do 
not  do  well  with  chicks.  We  must  give  the  hen  a 
chance. 

A  second  advantage  of  the  box  coop  is  that  it  is 
more  easily  cleaned.  I  used  them  for  years  in  a  dry 
climate,  with  the  top  nailed  fast,  cleaning  the  coop 


Another  A    Shaped  Coop. 
Sides  of  roof  22  x  28  inches. 


by  tipping  first  backward,  then  sideways  toward  the  door,  then  forward,  the  droppings  rolling 
out  at  the  door.  For  climates  where  the  floor  gets  damp,  and  the  droppings  adhesive,  the  top 
should  be  hinged,  thus  making  it  easy  to  get  at  the  inside  of  the  coop  to  clean.  Besides,  the 
angles  at  the  floor  being  right  angles  instead  of  acute  angles,  as  in  the  other  style  of  coops,  the 
corners  are  much  easier  to  keep  clean  in  case  of 
the  coop  with  a  floor,  and  this  box  coop  makes  a 
serviceable  coop  for  all  seasons. 

To  go  into  all  the  details  of  coop  construction 
in  this  lesson  would  be  out  of  the  question.  We 
must  have  a  special  lesson  on  that  subject  next 
winter  at  the  time  when  coops  should  be  made  <*><*  Shown  in  Last  illustration  with  Pen*  ft.  Long 

-.  ,  and  Movable  Shelter  Board. 

ready  for  the  coming   season.     I  give  here  only 

enough  about  coops  to  give  those  studying  these  lessons  a  fair  idea  of  them,  and  wish  to 
impress  on  them  as  having  special  bearing  on  their  success  in  rearing  chicks  with  hens  that  the 
structure  of  the  coops  should  combine  these  two  features: 

(1).     Comfort  of  both  hen  and  chicks. 

(2).     Convenience  of  the  attendant. 

Coop  Pens  for  Hens  and  Chicks. 

The  illustrations  so  far  show  pens  which  confine  the  hen,  but  give  the  chicks  full  liberty. 
This  is  the  best  way  to  handle  them  if  it  can  be  done. 

It  cannot  be  done,  however,  where  enemies  of    chicks  are  so  numerous  that  they  would 

destroy  many  of  the  chicks  if 
given  liberty.  Poultry  keep- 
ers living  in  towns  have  espe- 
cially to  guard  against  the 
maraudings  of  cats.  Against 
these  the  best  protection  is 
wire  covered  pens.  The  il- 
lustration on  next  page  shows 
such  a  pen  used  with  a  box 
coop  of  the  same  width. 

This  pen  is  a  little  more 
easily  handled  than  that  I  use, 
which  is  wider,  mine  being  6 
x  12  ft.  on  the  ground,  where 


Box  Coop  With  Knock  Down  Pen. 
This  coop  is  22  x  24  inches,  outside  measure  on  the  ground,  21  inches 


high  in  front,  and  16  inches  in  the  rear.     When  made  of  these  dimen-  thJS  is  2  X  K  ft'     *   Prefer  tlie 

sions  10  inch  boards  cut  with   practically  no   waste.     The  latter  pen  is  larger    ones    as    giving    the 

4  ft.  long,  2  ft.  wide,  2  ft.  high.     Top  and  bottom  rails  are  of  1  inch  chicks  more  room,  and  not  re- 

Btuff,  2  inches  wide.  quirjng  to  ^   ^^^  ^  ^^ 

Now  just  a  word  about  the  use  of  such  coops  to  protect  the  small  chicks.    They  are  more 
expensive,  and  it  is  more  trouble  to  handle  chicks  this  way  than  in  the  other  coops  with  the 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


45 


chicks  at  liberty,  but  unless  you  are  sure  that  losses  from  cats,  hawks,  etc.,  with  the  chicks  at 
liberty  will  be  very  light,  it  pays  to  use  safe  coops.  They  have  to  be  used  only  for  a  short 
time,  and  there  is  no  use  hatching  chicks  unless  you  take  care  of  them  after  they  are  hatched. 

Why    Coop    Hens   and    Chicks? 

This  is  the  question  which  has  suggested  itself  to  many  readers.  They  may  see  the  advisa" 
bility  of  confining  hens  and  chicks  to  protect  the  chicks  while  small,  but  do  not  so  readily  see 
the  need  of  confining  the  hen  while  the  chicks  run  at  large.  In  a  state  of  nature  the  ben  runs 
with  the  chicks.  Yes,  but  in  growing  chicks  we  have  to  average  very  much  better  than  nature, 
both  as  to  quality  and  quantity  produced. 

Hens  have  advantages  as  mothers.  These  we  need  not  here  consider.  They  also  have  their 
disadvantages.  It  is  in  guarding  against  losses  from  these  that  those  who  succeed  well  in 
growing  chicks  by  natural  methods  excel.  AH  hens  are  not  alike  in  their  habits  with  chicks. 
Some  can  be  allowed  full  liberty  ;  others  cannot.  You  cannot  know  in  advance  which  to  trust. 


Cat    and    Hawk    Proof    Coop    Pens. 

Dimensious  of  these  coop  pens  are,  —  length  12  ft.;  height  2  ft.;  width  2  ft.  They  are  made  of  lath,  and  cov- 
ered with  1-inch  mesh  wire  netting. 

Hence  you  must  devise  a  system  of  handling  them,  and  impose  such  restraints  on  all  that  you 
are  sure  that  avoidable  losses  are  reduced  to  the  minimum. 

The  faults  of  some  hens  as  mothers  are: — 

(1).  Too  great  activity  and  restlessness,  never  still  themselves,  they  wear  the  chicks 
out. 

I  have  seen  fine  broods  of  a  dozen  or  more  chicks  reduced  to  two  or  three  in  less  than  two 
days,  in  this  way,  when,  had  the  hen  been  restrained,  not  a  chick  need  have  been  lost.  Confine 
the  hen,  and,  as  a  rule,  she  soon  learns  to  be  contented  in  her  coop,  if  it  is  a  suitable  coop, 
and,  if  her  wants  are  supplied,  gives  her  chickens  a  great  deal  more  brooding  than  if  allowed 
to  run  with  them. 


46  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

(2).     Weaning  the  chicks  too  soon. 

Many  hens  would  leave  their  chicks  at  two  to  three  weeks  old,  if  allowed  to  do  so.  Some 
will  brood  chicks  while  laying,  but  many  will  not,  and  as  a  well  fed  hen  is  likely  to  begin  laying 
within  ten  to  twenty  days  after  hatching  her  chicks,  many  chicks  will  be  forsaken  while  still  in 
heed  of  a  mother,  if  the  hens  could  leave  them  at  will. 

These  are  the  general  faults  against  which  cooping  is  an  insurance.  The  other  special  faults 
will  be  considered  briefly  under  the  next  heading. 

Selecting    Hens  for   Mothers. 

A  hen  that  makes  a  good  sitter  does  not  always  make  a  good  mother.  Some  hens  that  sit 
very  quietly  become  very  fussy  with  a  brood  of  chicks,  are  a  constant  aggravation  to  the 
keeper,  and  frequently  injure  chicks.  The  ideal  mother  is  the  hen  that  has  made  a  good  hatch, 
and,  that  on  removal  from  the  nest  with  chicks,  settles  down  quietly  in  the  quarters  assigned 
her.  If  she  tramps  about  and  seems  to  move  without  regard  to  the  chicks,  change  for  another 
hen  if  possible.  If  she  is  vicious,  don't  use  her  for  another  unless  you  have  to.  The  hen  that 
fights  for  her  chicks,  with  or  without  provocation,  will  do  in  fiction,  but  in  practice  she  harms 
more  than  she  helps  them.  For  the  sake  of  the  chicks  as  well  as  for  the  sake  of  the  attendant, 
only  docile  hens  should  be  used  as  mothers. 

Taking    Chicks    from   the  Nest. 

Chicks  should  be  removed  from  the  nest  about  twenty-four  hours  after  the  first  chicks  in  it 
hatched.  If  hatching  has  been  uneven,  there  may  be  some  chicks  not  ready  to  leave  the  nest 
then.  If  so,  they  may  be  put  under  other  hens,  or  if  that  is  not  practicable,  remove  to  a  warm 
place,  and  keep  them  wrapped  in  flannel  or  cotton  until  well  dried  and  up  on  their  feet 

By  the  time  the  first  hatched  chicks  (which  are  generally  the  strongest),  are  a  day  old  they 
want  to  get  out  from  under  the  hen  and  move  about  a  little,  and  may  make  her  so  restless  that 
if  the  nest  Is  open  she  will  leave  it  with  such  chicks  as  can  follow  her,  and  if  closed  so  that  she 
cannot  get  out,  may  scratch  around  in  it  and  do  a  good  deal  of  damage. 

Except  in  warm  bright  settled  weather,  it  is  not,  as  a  rule,  advisable  to  take  chicks  at  this 
age  direct  from  the  nests  to  outdoor  coops.  Though  they  want  to  move  about  a  little,  and  soon 
eat  some,  for  the  first  few  days  warmth  and  quiet  are  of  greatest  importance.  To  secure  these, 
have  boxes  with  open  tops  protected  by  slats  or  wire  netting,  into  which  the  broods  can  be  put 
for  a  few  days,  and  kept  indoors. 

The  hen  and  chicks  can  be  fed  and  watered  in  these,  and  can  move  about  a  little,  but  must 
keep  quite  quiet,  and  in  case  a  hen  is  not  disposed  to  brood  her  chicks  the  greater  part  of  the 
time,  she  can  be  "  persuaded  "  to  do  so  by  throwing  a  bag  over  the  top  of  the  box,  making  it 
dark.  Chicks  kept  close  and  warm  and  quiet  this  way  for  a  few  days  go  to  the  outdoor 
coops  strong  and  lively. 

In  bad  weather  they  may  be  kept  in  such  boxes  a  little  longer,  but  never  more  than  four  or 
five  days,  or  they  fret  at  confinement  and  do  not  thrive. 

Before  putting  chicks  into  the  box,  put  a  sprinkling  of  chafF,  hay,  leaves,  or  finely  cut  hay  or 
straw  into  it.  Use  just  enough  to  cover  the  bottom.  Too  much  will  often  make  trouble,  the 
hen  scratching  in  it  and  burying  some  of  her  chicks  with  it. 

Harking   the    Chicks. 

If  the  chicks  are  to  be  punch  marked  in  the  feet  to  identify  them,  it  should  be  done  as  they 
are  taken  from  the  nest.  For  this  purpose  use  a  small  size  spring  punch  made  for  marking 
chicks,  and  sold  by  all  supply  houses  and  many  poultry  journals.  (We  advertise  one  in  this 
paper). 

If  chicks  are  marked  at  this  age,  the  operation  gives  as  little  pain  as  possible.  The  cut  bleeds 
but  little,  sometimes  not  at  all,  and  as  the  chicks  remain  under  the  hens  most  of  the  time  for  a 
day  or  two,  there  is  less  trouble  with  chicks,  attracted  by  the  blood  on  feet  that  bleed,  picking 
each  other  to  pieces. 

In  making  the  punch  mark,  mark  well  into  the  web,  but  not  so  far  as  to  injure  the  bones  of 
the  foot. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


47 


Method  of  Punch 
Marking  Chicks. 


The  usual  practice  is  to  mark  chicks  according  to  the  mating  from 
which  they  came.  Sometimes,  however,  each  brood  is  given  its  special 
mark.  As  the  accompanying  cut  shows,  it  is  possible  to  make  fifteen 
combinations  of  punch  marks  in  the  four  webs. 

Culling  Chicks  as  Taken    from   the    Nests. 

A  vigorous  weeding  out  of  deformed  and  weak  chicks  at  this  time  is 
good  insurance  against  trouble  and  loss  afterwards.  It  pays  to  kill  at 
this  stage,  every  chick  that  does  not  seem  to  be  just  right.  Some  of  the 
weaklings  may  outgrow  their  weakness  if  given  a  chance,  but  many  more 
will  not,  and  the  bes^t  way  Is  to  take  no  chance  on  a  chick  that  does  not 
seem  to  be  a  good  chick.  The  loss  on  that  chick  is  less  now  than  it  will 
be  at  any  later  stage,  and  the  common  experience  has  been  that  the  great 
majority  of  the  deformed  or  weak  chicks  allowed  to  live,  make  a  loss  at 
some  time. 

Some  minor  troubles,  like  club  feet  and  crooked  beaks,  do  not  materially 
affect  the  health  of  the  chick,  but,  on  general  principles,  and  for  the  sake 
of  the  good  looks  of  the  flock,  it  is  \vell  to  dispose  of  these  also. 

How   Many   Chicks  to   a  Hen  ? 

If  the  chicks  are  all  of  one  color,  the  hens  will  take  chicks  hatched  by 
other  hens,  but  if  there  are  chicks  of  several  colors  hatched  at  the  same 
time,  unless  a  hen  hatched  all  colors  one  must  be  careful  in  giving  her  odd 
looking  chicks.  Some  will  take  them;  others  will  kill  them. 

With  chicks  all  of  one  kind  and  age,  then  they  may  be  divided  up  as 
desired  among  the  hens  selected  for  mothers. 

As  long  as  the  weather  is  at  all  cool,  nine  or  ten  chicks  is  enough  for  an 
ordinary  sized  hen,  and  twelve  or  thirteen  for  a  large  one.  As  the  season 
advances,  more  may  be  given,  but  I  have  found  results  much-better  In 
growth  and  quality  of  chicks  when  I  never  went  very  far  beyond  these 
figures. 

I  have  given  as  high  as  forty  chicks  to  a  hen,  and  had  them  live  and 
grow  to  be  healthy.  I  have  run  eighteen  to  twenty  chicks  with  medium 
sized  hens,  and  had  quite  satisfactory  results.  But  comparing  the  general 
results  under  such  conditions  with  results  when  broods  were  smaller,  I 
have,  for  years,  rarely  given  over  twelve  chicks  to  a  medium  sized  hen,  or 
fifteen  to  a  large  one,  and  think  the  better  results  well  worth  what  little 
additional  work  the  greater  number  of  broods  makes. 

Where   to    Place   the   Coops. 

There  is  not  always  opportunity  for  choice  in  this  matter.  With 
many  there  is  just  one  spot  available  for  coops,  and  the  question  becomes 
how  best  to  handle  chicks  in  this  place.  But  when  there  are  different 
situations  available,  that  should  be  selected  which  best  combines  the  two 
points  we  have  already  emphasized  once  in  this  lesson,  1.  e.,  the  comfort 
of  the  hens  and  chicks,  and  the  convenience  of  the  attendant. 

The  best  place  for  chicken  coops,  and  for  young  chickens,  is  in  an 
orchard  which  furnishes  abundance  of  sun  and  shade.  If  an  orchard 
near  the  dwelling  can  be  used  for  chicks,  this  is  quite  the  ideal  place;  and, 
of  course,  if  on  a  small  place,  the  few  coops  of  chicks  can  be  placed 
under  the  few  fruit  trees  the  place  may  have,  we  have  the  same  con- 
ditions on  a  small  scale. 

Another  good  place  is  near  a  hedge,  where  the  coops  of  the  hens  may  be 
shaded  at  least  a  part  of  the  day,  while  the  chicks  can  run  in  the  shade  of 
the  hedge,  or  out  into  the  open  fields  at  will.  The  conditions  for  the 
chicks  may  be  just  as  good  as  in  an  orchard,  but  the  coops  have  to  be 
extended  in  lines,  and  cannot  be  as  compactly  placed  as  in  an  orchard 
where  they  may  be  in  parallel  rows,  and  the  attendant  can  look  after 
them  without  going  over  so  much  ground. 


48  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

When  the  hens  are  confined  while  the  chicks  go  at  will,  the  coops  may  be  placed  two  or 
three  rods  apart  each  way,  and  the  coops  shifted  as  often  as  necessary  to  prevent  the  grass 
being  ruined  under  them. 

When  the  chicks  are  confined  while  small  to  wire  covered  coops,  these  may  be  placed  as 
close  together  as  desired,  or  as  the  lay  of  the  land  admits,  and  moved  the  length  of  a  coop  to 
new  ground  in  a  block;  or,  if  one  prefers,  he  can  place  his  coops  separately,  and  shift  them 
independently.  A  little  study  to  locate  coops  at  first  with  reference  to  the  shiftings  necessary, 
will  often  save  some  inconvenience  later. 

What  To   Do    Where   There  is   No  Natural  Shade. 

Both  shade  and  sun  the  chicks  must  have,  and  if  there  is  no  natural  shade,  shades  must  be 
made  to  cover  either  the  whole  or  a  part  of  the  top  of  a  coop.  With  such  shade  provided, 
the  coops  may  be  put  right  out  in  the  open  where  they  get  the  full  strength  of  the  sun,  and 
will  do  well,  though  I  think  never  on  the  whole  as  well  as  with  natural  shade,  and  the  moist 
earth  under  it. 

Transferring    Hens   and    Chicks   to   the  Coops. 

Always,  if  possible,  move  the  hens  and  chicks  to  the  coops  when  the  weather  is  bright  and 
warm.  Avoid  moving  hens  with  small  chicks  to  new  coops  late  in  the  afternoon.  If  you 
cannot  get  them  out  in  time  to  give  them  several  hours  in  the  sun  before  they  have  to  settle 
down  for  the  night,  better  let  them  wait  until  next  morning.  Older  chicks  are  easier  to  move 
after  dark,  but  if  the  small  ones  are  moved  about,  then  one  must  be  very  careful  or  the  hens 
trample  some  of  them  before  they  settle  down. 

Let  them  get  wonted  to  their  new  quarters  before  bedtime.  Then,  as  a  rule,  if  she  has  not 
done  so  several  times  during  the  day,  the  hen  will  go  into  the  coop  of  her  own  accord,  and 
make  her  nest  in  one  corner,  (the  coop  should  have  a  good  big  handful  of  chaff  or  cut  hay  or 
straw  thrown  in  for  this  purpose),  and  the  chicks  will  follow  her. 

If,  as  sometimes  happens,  the  hen  insists  on  staying  out  in  one  corner  of  the  pen  at  night,  try 
to  drive  her  gently  into  the  coop.  If  she  will  not  go  in  and  stay,  wait  until  it  is  almost  dark, 
catch  her  and  put  her  in  the  coop,  closing  the  door  so  that  she  cannot  get  out,  but  the  chickens 
can  get  in.  In  view  of  possible  cases  like  this  it  is  well  to  have  coops  so  constructed  that  you 
can  get  at  the  hens  easily  when  they  stay  out.  I  have  to  confess  that  mine  have  not  always 
been  so  built,  and,  in  consequence,  I  have  sometimes  had  to  fool  away  more  time  than  I  should 
with  such  cases.  After  being  compelled  to  go  to  the  coop  for  the  night  once  or  twice  the  hen 
seldom  gives  further  trouble  on  that  score. 

Feeding  the  Young  Chickens. 

The  feeding  of  young  chickens  need  not  differ  much  from  the  feeding  of  adult  fowls.  The 
young  chick  needs  food  oftener,  and  needs  it  in  form  appropriate  to  its  size,  but  except  for 
these  two  particulars  the  systems  and  methods  of  feeding  can  be  the  same  for  both  small  chicks 

and  fowls, provided  the  method  of  feeding  the  fowls  is  good.  If  the  method  of  feeding 

the  fowls  is  bad,  the  effects  on  the  young  chicks  will  be  very  much  worse  than  on  the  fowls, 
and  their  digestive  systems  are  easily  ruined. 

In  this  we  have  the  explanation  of  the  fact  that  so  many  people  do  really  find  it  necessary  to 
use  a  ration  for  their  chicks  different  from  that  given  their  fowls,  and  when  they  do  the  general 
tendency  is  to  go  much  further  than  necessary  in  fussing  with  foods  for  the  chicks.  In  thi«, 
too,  we  have  an  explanation  for  the  fact  that  the  dry  feed  system  began  to  be  applied  exten- 
sively with  young  chicks  some  time  before  much  attention  was  given  it  in  connection  with  the 
feeding  of  old  fowls,  and  while  I  personally  do  not  use  the  dry  feed  system  for  young  chicks  I 
can  easily  see  that  a  great  many  get  better  results  by  it  than  by  their  application  of  a  mash 
system. 

What  was  said  in  Lesson  I.  of  poultry  foods  and  feeding  systems  for  winter  egg  production 
applies  generally  to  foods  and  feeding  systems  for  young  chicks,  with  the  difference  as  indicated 
above,  and  with  the  additional  difference  that  disadvantages  in  either  system  need  to  be  more 
carefully  watched  with  chicks  than  with  fowls. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  49 

Common  Errors  in  Feeding  Chicks. 

There  is  nothing  mysterious,  complicated  or  difficult  about  the  proper  feeding  of  young 
chicks,  and  yet  most  beginners  have  a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  them.  So  before  discussing  a 
few  of  the  good  methods  of  feeding  let  us  have  a  statement  of  some  of  the  more  common  errors 
in  feeding. 

1.  When  soft  food  is  used,  often  too  much  of  it  is  used.     Too  many  meals  of  soft  food  are 

given,  and  not  enough  hard  grain. 

People  either  do  not  know  or  do  not  appreciate  the  fact  that  the  chick  unlike  the  young 
of  mammals  and  of  pigeons,  has  digestive  organs  that  will  take  just  the  same  kind  of 
food  the  adult  fowls  take. 

The  old  fashioned  way  of  feeding  chicks  was  to  give  them  corn  meal  dough  or  merely 
wetted  corn  meal  three,  four,  or  five  times  a  day.  Some  chicks  lived  and  grew  on  this 
feeding  because  they  had  good  range  and  exercise,  and  plenty  of  vegetable  food  and 
insects,  but  they  did  not  then  and  do  not  now  make  the  growth  on  such  feeding  that  they 
do  when  fed  a  more  appropriate  ration. 

2.  Too  concentrated  foods  are  used,  especially  meals — corn  meal  and  oat  meal,  and  hard 

boiled  eggs. 

Corn  meal  may  be  used  alone,  if  baked  in  a  johnnycake,  with  good  results;  but  raw  or 
only  partly  cooked  corn  meal  alone  is  too  likely  to  be  hard  to  digest. 

Oat  meal  and  various  oat  preparations  If  fed  heavily  have  much  the  same  effects  as  corn 
meal.  One  of  the  surprising  things  about  opinions  of  feeding  chickens  is  the  persistence 
with  which  some  authorities  cling  to  the  idea  that  oats  are  an  ideal  and  very  complete 
food,  and  oat  meal  the  most  desirable  article  for  feeding  young  chicks;  when  the  fact  is 
that  chicks  do  not  like  it,  and  the  sentiment  in  favor  of  it  is  traditional,  and  not  based  on 
modern  experience  at  all. 

Oat  meal  and  corn  meal  mixed  together,  and  with  bran,  make  a  good  food  for  chicks. 
The  proportion  of  the  meals  to  bran  may  be  slightly  greater  for  chicks  than  for  fowls, 
because  the  growing  chick  can  more  readily  utilize  an  excess  of  nutritious  matter  than 
the  matured  fowl  can,  but  the  difference  in  this  respect  in  rations  should  be  slight. 

Hard  boiled  eggs  are  often  fed  very  heavily— especially  if  fertility  of  eggs  is  poor—  and 
when  combined,  as  they  too  often  are,  with  a  ration  which  without  them  would  be  too 
concentrated,  they  are  likely  to  aggravate  any  digestive  disorders  that  develop. 

3.  Animal  and  vegetable  foods  are  not  provided  as  they  should  be. 

Many  poultry  keepers  who  are  no  longer  amateurs  are  like  most  novices  in  being  afraid 
to  feed  meat  meals  and  scraps  to  young  chickens.  There  certainly  is  greater  risk  in  feed- 
ing them  an  article  of  poor  quality,  but  a  good  grade  of  meat  scrap  or  meal  may  be  fed 
quite  as  freely  as  to  older  fowls,  though  of  course,  if  used  in  a  mash  or  cake  that  is  fed 
several  times  a  day  to  the  chicks  where  the  mash  for  fowls  is  fed  but  once,  the  percentage 
of  meat  in  the  mash  must  be  reduced  or  the  chicks  are  fed  more  meat  proportionately 
than  old  fowls. 

In  supplying  green  food  to  chicks  the  great  majority  of  novices  give  it  very  irregularly, 
and  rarely  in  sufficient  quantity. 

The  three  points  stated  and  explained  above  cover,  I  believe,  the  most  serious  errors  in  the 
feeding  of  chicks.  When  these  are  avoided  the  other  faults  in  feeding  may  not  show  conspicu- 
ously poor  results. 

Methods  of  Feeding. 

Of  these  we  wiM  consider  a  few  which  may  be  taken  as  typical: 

1.  Mash  and  grain  feeds  alternated. 

2.  Baked  cake  and  grain  feeds  alternated. 

3.  Combination  of  1  and  2. 

4.  All  dry  feed— small  cracked  and  broken  grains. 

5.  Dry  mash  and  dry  grain. 

These  are  all  simple  systems  calling  for  the  use  of  only  such  foods  as  are  used  for  the 
old  stock,  or  may  be  bought  in  bulk  at  about  the  same  prices.  The  use  of  foods  which 
require  entirely  different  bill  of  fare  and  mode  of  preparation  for  young  chicks  will  not 


50  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

be  considered  here.  Readers  using  such  foods,  and  desiring  to  continue  their  use  rather 
than  any  of  the  methods  here  described,  may  ask  such  questions  as  they  wish  about  them, 
and  these  will  be  answered  ;  but  to  consider  the  multitudes  of  "fussy"  methods  at  length 
Is  out  of  the  question. 

Ration  I.     Mash  and  Grain  Feeds  Alternated. 

I  speak  of  the  mash  and  grain  as  "alternated"  for  want  of  a  word  which  in  a  word  will 
convey  the  idea.  They  are  not  regularly  alternated  all  the  time,  but  as  far  as  convenient 
and  advisable  the  soft  and  hard  feeds  alternate. 

Morning.    First  Feed. — Mash  as  recommended  for  hens  in  Ration  I.,  Lesson  I. 
Middle  of  Morning.— Millet  or  a  "chick  feed"  mixture. 
Noon.— Wheat. 
Middle  of  Afternoon. — Mash. 
Evening.—  Cracked  corn. 

[f  the  chicks  have  grass  run  they  get  their  own  green  food  ;  if  confined  where  they  have 
no  grass  green  food  must  be  provided.  As  will  be  noticed,  the  only  thing  this  ration  calls 
for  in  addition  to  what  is  provided  for  the  old  fowls  is  the  chick  feed  mixture.  Such  a 
mixture  I  would  recommend  generally  in  preference  to  ordinary  millet  because  it  gives 
greater  variety,  and  is  on  the  whole,  more  economical.  Indeed  often  the  cost  per  100  Ibs. 
is  no  greater. 

Ration  II.     Baked  Cake  and  Grain  Feeds  Alternated. 

In  this  ration  we  simply  substitute  a  baked  "  johnnycake"  for  the  mash  in  Ration  I. 
This  cake  may  be  made  entirely  of  corn  meal  or  of  a  mixture  of  corn  meal  with  other 
ground  stuffs.  This  ration  is  to  be  preferred  to  Ration  I.  where  only  a  few  chicks 
are  to  be  fed,  as  a  large  cake  may  be  baked  which  will  last  several  days,  giving  the  soft 
food  always  ready,  and  making  it  unnecessary  to  mix  a  mash  daily  or  oftener.  When  so 
many  chicks  are  kept  that  the  baking  of  cake  for  them  becomes  burdensome,  the  mash  is 
preferable. 

Ration  HI.     Mash.     Baked  Cake  and  Grains  Alternated. 

This  ration  may  be  used  if  it  is  preferred  not  to  have  mash  about  after  the  morning 
feed,  or  if  it  is  more  convenient  to  mix  only  enough  mash  for  that  feed. 

A   Few  Recipes  for  Johnnycake. 

Add  a  little  soda  to  sour  milk;  stir  in  corn  meal  or  corn  chop,  to  make  a  stiff  batter  —  the 
stiffer  the  better.  A  few  infertile  eggs  added  improve  the  cake.  Bake  until  well  cooked 
through.  Make  cake  thick  to  reduce  proportion  of  crust. 


Take  one  pint  corn  meal,  one  teacup  bran,  one  teaspoonful  meat  meal,  one  raw  egg,  one  tea- 
spoon soda,  one  teacup  cold  water;  bake  two  hours. 


Take  three  quarts  corn  meal,  one  quart  wheat  middlings,  one  cup  meat  meal;  mix  with 
water  or  skimmed  milk  to  which  has  been  added  four  tablespoons  vingegar,  two  teaspoons 
soda. 


Ration  IV.     All   Dry  Grain. 

For  this  ration  bought  prepared  mixtures  are  generally  used. 

Ration  V.     Dry  Mash  and  Dry  Grain. 

For  this  again  1  would  recommend  those  who  use  it  to  buy   the  prepared  mixtures, 
because  the  chick  dry  mash  is  ground  more  finely  than  they  can  get  it  for  themselves, 
and  the  mixture  of  grain  contains  a  greater  variety  than  they  would  give,  and  when  they 
leave  out  mashes  and  johnnycakes  with  the  variety  which  is  secured  in  the  use  of  these, 
and  in  their  alternation  with  grain,  they  need  greater  variety  in  the  grain. 
There  are  scores  of  very  good  mixtures  for  chicks  on  the  market,  and  many  of  them  at  very 
reasonable  prices. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  51 

How    Often    to    Feed. 

In  rations  I.,  II.,  and  III.,  five  feedings  a  day  are  indicated.  This  is  about  right  for  small 
chicks,  up  to  the  time  of  weaning,  when  conditions  are  such  that  it  is  not  advisable  to  feed  more 
at  a  time  than  will  be  eaten  up  within  a  comparatively  short  time.  For  Ration  IV.,  five  feed- 
ings may  be  used.  For  Ration  V.,  the  mash  may  be  kept  before  the  chicks  all  the  time,  if 
fed  in  troughs  or  hoppers  they  cannot  get  into,  and  the  grain  feeds  given  as  used. 

Keeping    Feed    by  Chicks  all    the  Time. 

If  Ration  V.  is  used  as  indicated  above,  one  kind  of  feed  is  kept  before  the  chicks  all  the 
time. 

If  chicks  have  good  range,  it  is  entirely  practicable  to  put  out  at  one  time  all  the  food  for 
the  day,  a  dry  mash  in  hoppers  or  troughs,  and  the  grain  scattered  over  the  ground  they  run 
over.  It  will  be  found  that  they  feed  themselves  quite  regularly. 

Mashes  and  baked  cakes  cannot  be  left  long  before  chicks  without  souring  or  drying,  but 
under  any  conditions  which  admit  of  scattering  the  grain  for  the  day  over  the  chicks'  range,  the 
grain  for  Rations  I.,  II.,  and  III.  may  be  put  out  in  the  morning  when  the  first  mash  or  cake 
is  fed,  and  if  chicks  are  watered  then,  only  one  more  visit  is  needed  for  the  day,  i.  e.,  to  give 
the  second  soft  food,  and  perhaps  renew  the  water  supply. 

Sometimes  it  is  practicable  to  feed  all  grain  in  hoppers,  boxes,  or  troughs,  the  chicks  taking 
sufficient  exercise  of  their  own  accord,  and  as  they  forage  for  green  food  and  insects. 

There  is,  however,  the  danger  that  chicks  with  all  grain  food  so  easily  acquired,  may  fail  to 
forage  enough,  hence,  if  one  adopts  this  method,  he  should  continue  or  reject  it  according  as 
he  finds  it  works  well  or  otherwise  with  any  particular  lot  of  chicks. 

How    fluch   to    Feed. 

Chicks  that  have  opportunity  and  disposition  to  exercise  may,  as  a  rule,  safely  be  fed  all 
they  will  eat.  Keeping  food  before  them  of  course  means  that  they  can  get  all  they  will  eat  at 
any  time. 

The  danger  in  feeding  more  than  is  eaten  at  the  time  is  not  so  much  due  to  chicks  overeat- 
ing of  sound  sweet  food,  as  to  their  eating  the  food  left  over,  after  it  has  become  sour  or 
fouled. 

In  feeding  mash  and  cake,  one  must  learn  by  experience  how  much  to  feed  to  a  brood.  At 
first  the  hen  and  chicks  will  eat  so  little  more  than  the  hen  alone  that,  as  the  hen  generally  gets 
a  share  of  each  food  given  the  chicks,  and  is  likely  to  see  that  their  wants  are  supplied  before 
satisfying  her  own  appetite,  the  best  rule  I  can  give  for  first  feeds  is  to  feed  the  hen  and  brood 
just  as  if  feeding  the  hen  without  a  brood.  Then  as  you  give  the  hen  five  feeds  instead  of 
three,  this  means  that  you  are  allowing  the  brood  about  two-thirds  of  what  you  would  give  a 
hen.  This  is  for  a  brood  of  a  dozen  or  so.  Now  the  chicks  do  not  eat  so  much  as  this,  but  the 
hen,  after  her  three  weeks  on  the  nest,  will  take  all  they  leave  for  awhile.  Then  by  the  time 
the  chicks  are  eating  a  perceptible  quantity,  her  appetite  has  moderated.  So,  while  the  rule 
will  not  always  apply  exactly,  if  for  the  first  two  or  three  weeks  you  give  hen  and  chicks  at 
each  feed  one  hen's  allowance,  you  will  be  as  near  right  as  you  can  be  by  any  general  rule. 
After  that  time  the  chicks  begin  to  eat  so  much  more  that  you  can  better  gauge  the  quantity 
by  observation. 

Remember  that  almost  all  poultrymen  feeding  chicks  with  hens  throw  out  a  great  deal  more 
food  than  is  necessary  while  the  chicks  are  small. 

Feed  Troughs  for  Chicks. 

For  a  brood  of  chicks  a  bit  of  board  about  5  or  6  in.  wide  by  10  or  12  long,  with  strips  of  lath 
nailed  around  the  edges  to  form  the  sides  of  a  very  shallow  box,  makes  a  satisfactory  trough 
for  feeding  mash,  and  is  large  enough  for  the  brood  as  long  as  they  stay  with  the  hen.  Many 
other  simple  styles  might  be  described,  but  to  do  so  here  would  take  more  space  than  is  avail- 
able. 

A  trough  or  box  in  which  a  supply  of  food  is  to  be  kept  before  the  chicks  must,  of  course,  be 
deeper,  and  must  be  protected  from  rain. 


52  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Water  for  Chicks. 

Chicks  should  have  always  before  them  a  supply  of  good  water.  Many  cases  of  "  cramps  " 
are  caused  by  letting  the  chicks  become  very  thirsty  and  then  fill  up  with  cold  water. 

For  a  few  chicks  together  with  a  hen  I  prefer  flower  pot  saucers  for  drinking  vessels.  Dif- 
ferent sizes  of  these  can  be  used  for  different  sized  chicks.  There  is  no  possibility  of  their 
drowning  in  them.  They  keep  the  water  cooler  than  either  tin,  iron  or  wooden  vessels,  and 
though  more  dirt  will  be  kicked  into  them  than  into  a  drinking  fountain  they  are  more  easily 
cleaned. 

Keeping  Chicks  Free  From   Lice. 

If  the  hen  and  nest  were  kept  free  from  lice,  the  chicks  should  need  no  treatment  for  several 
days.  They  may  not  need  it  then,  but  for  an  inexperienced  grower  it  is  always  better  to  keep 
on  the  safe  side  and  prevent  lice  getting  established,  for  when  they  become  numerous  they  do  a 
great  deal  of  damage  in  a  very  short  time.  Dust  them  with  an  insecticide  within  two  or  three 
days  after  taking  from  the  nest,  then  at  intervals  of  a  week  until  they  are  three  weeks  old. 
After  that  they  should  not  need  treatment  for  lice. 

I  have  always  used  Dalmatian  insect  powder  for  young  chicks.  There  may  be  some  of  the 
other  insect  powders  not  composed  largely  of  Dalmatian  that  are  as  effective,  but  many  of  them 
will  not  kill  head  lice  on  young  chickens,  while  fresh  Dalmatian  has  never  failed  to  do  this  for 
me. 

Apply  it  with  a  powder  gun,  such  as  can  be  bought  at  any  drug  store  for  15  to  25  cents, 
according  to  size.  Here  the  advantage  of  a  convenient  coop  is  apparent.  With  a  box  coop 
with  hinged  top,  one  may  go  in  the  evening,  raise  the  top,  take  the  hen  In  one  hand,  puff  a  few 
puffs  of  powder  over  the  chicks  as  they  sit  iu  one  corner  of  the  coop;  then  holding  the  hen  by 
the  feet,  head  down,  with  one  hand,  work  the  powder  gun  with  the  other,  puffing  the  powder 
well  into  the  feathers,  especially  around  the  vent  and  under  the  wings. 

Observe  that  the  powder  is  very  pungent,  (it  will  make  you  sneeze)  and  a  few  puffs  of  it 
are  enough.  It  will  not  injure  the  chicks  if  used  moderately.  I  never  knew  of  its  injuring 
them  anyway,  but  some  claim  it  has  in  some  cases. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


LESSON    VII. 


The    Care    of    Chicks    From    Weaning  to  flaturity. 


IT  IS  often  said  that  the  first  three  weeks  in  the  chick's  life  are  the  critical  period ;  that 
if  the  chick  lives  through  that  period  it  is  likely  to  grow  to  maturity. 
There  is  some  truth  in  this  view,  but  it  is  not  all  true.    It  is  not  true  to  the  extent  that 
the  poultryman  is  warranted  in  relaxing  his  efforts  to  produce  chicks  each  of  which  shall 
make  the  best  development  of  which  it  is  capable.    Indeed,  I  am  inclined,  after  a  good  many 
years  listening  to  complaints  about  chicks  that  do  not  thrive,  and  with  a  vivid  recollection  of 
«ome  faults  I  have  seen  in  my  own  work  with  poultry,  to  consider  the  period  just  after  wean- 
ing the  most  critical  period  in  the  life  of  a  chick  reared  by  the  natural  method      Let  me  give 
a  single  illustration. 

"While  the  hen  remains,  or  is  kept,  with  the  chicks,  she  relieves  the  owner  of  responsibility  in 
regard  to  supplying  them  with  heat.  After  the  chicks  are  weaned  the  attendant  must  make 
sure  that  they  do  not  suffer  for  lack  of  heat.  They  may  not  need  supplied  heat  at  all,  but  if 
they  do  they  must  have  it,  and  whether  they  get  it  or  not  depends  generally  upon  the  judgment 
of  tae  attendant,  and  his  attention  to  his  business. 

Age    for    Weaning    Chicks 

The  age  at  which  chicks  should  be  weaned  depends  upon  the  weather  and  upon  their 
condition,  especially  the  condition  of  the  plumage. 

Left  to  herself,  the  average  hen  would  wean  her  chicks  at  six  to  eight  weeks  of  age.  This 
may  be  all  right  for  chicks  coming  to  such  age  in  this  latitude  after  the  middle  of  June,  but 
earlier  than  tb-at  chicks  left  to  themselves  are  very  likely  to  get  chilled,  and  it  is  safest  to  see 
that  they  have  some  heat  supplied  until  one  feels  sure  they  do  not  need  it.  Prior  to  May  1st, 
chicks,  unless  in  a  very  warm  house  or  coop,  may  need  more  warmth  than  they  themselves 
furnish,  up  to  ten  or  twelve  weeks  of  age.  After  that  they  should,  if  well  developed  and 
feathered  for  their  age,  get  along  very  well  with  the  same  kind  of  accommodations  the  old 
fowls  have. 

Coops   for    Weaned    and   Growing  Chicks. 

The  accompanying  cuts  show  two  somewhat  similar  styles  of  coops  for  growing  chicks.  (I 
would  just  say,  by  the  way,  that  it  has  become 
quite  the  custom  to  apply  the  term  "  growing 
chicks"  to  the  chicks  after  weaning,  perhaps 
because  the  rate  of  growth  of  thrifty  chicks, 
from  weaning  to  maturity,  being  very  clearly 
noticed,  while  earlier  growth  seems  slower). 

The  first  coop  shown  is  one  that  may  be 
used  very  early  in  the  season,  and  which  is  so 
constructed  as  to  make  the  chicks  secure  when 


the  coop  is  closed.    This  coop  may  be  built 
-?vlth  or  without  board  floor. 


Secure  Coop  for  Growing  Chicks. 


54 


FIRST    LESSONS 


POULTRY    KEEPING. 


The  second  s>t\  le  is  more  common,  and,  when  there  is  nothing  to  molest  the  chicks  at  night, 
is  preferable,  because  more  airy  in  warm  weather.  It  must  be  remembered  in  using  coops 
like  these  that  the  cubic  air  space  in  the  coop  is  very  much  less  in  proportion  to  floor  and  roost- 
ing space  than  in  a  house  for  adult  fowls;  hence 
the  necessity  of  making  ample  provision  for 
fresh  air. 

Many  other  styles  of  coops  suitable  for  chicks 
might  be  given,  but  this  general  plan  seems  to 
I      be  that  which  gives  most  general  satisfaction. 
Wherever  it  is   safe  to  use  a   coop  without  a 

A  Common  Style  of  Roosting  Coop  for  Chicks.  floor,  coops  should  be  built  that  way.  Then 
they  can  be  shifted  easily  to  new  locations,  and  no  cleaning  of  floors  is  needed. 

The  dimensions  for  such  coops  as  these  should  be  6  to  8  ft.  long,  about  3  ft.  wide,  2  to2£  ft. 
high  in  the  rear,  and  3  to  3£  ft.  high  in  front. 

Capacity  of  Roosting  Coop. —  The  capacity  of  coops  approximating  the  dimensions  given 
above,  is  about  thirty  well  grown  chicks,  and  this  is  about  as  many  as  it  is  advisable  to  put  into 
them,  for  though  a  much  larger  number  of  chicks  just  weaned  could  be  kept  in  such  a  coop, 
it  is  much  better  to  put  into  the  coop  at  first  not  many  more  than  the  coop  will  conveniently 
accommodate  when  the  chicks  are  well  grown.  Then  one  need  not  fear  the  effects  of  over- 
crowding by  the  chicks  outgrowing  their  quarters. 

Other   Arrangements    for    Growing    Chicks. 

The  coops  illustrated  above  furnish  substantial  neat  coops  exactly  adapted  to  this  special 
purpose,  but  many  other  arrangements  are  possible.  All  the  chicks  really  need  is  shelter,  and 
during  summer  weather  it  need  not  be  very  complete  shelter.  One  of  the  nicest  lots  of 
chickens  I  ever  had  were  kept  at  night,  from  June  until  late  in  October,  in  a  makeshift,  tem- 
porary coop,  the  back  of  which  was  a  strip  of  the  board  walk  we  used  over  the  gravel  walk 
in  winter.  This  was.  16  ft.  long  and  2  ft.  wide,  and  made  the  coop  two  feet  high  at  the  back. 
The  ends  of  the  coop  were  two  sides  of  a  dry  goods  box,  2  ft.  square.  The  open  front  of 
the  coop  was  2  ft.  high  the  length  of  the  coop.  A  board  10  in.  wide  at  the  top  of  the  front  kept 
the  rain  from  driving  in,  and  to  this  and  to  the  edge  of  the  back  were  nailed  short  pieces  of 
old  goods-boxes,  making  a  roof  through  which  rain  might  drip,  but  would  not  drive.  This 
coop  remained  in  one  spot  in  an  orchard  where  the  ground  sloped  just  enough  to  let  all 
droppings  work  out  of  the  coop,  leaving  the  floor  always  clean. 

I  give  this  as  an  extreme  illustration  of  the  useful  makeshifts  for  the  purpose  our  present 
lesson  considers.  We  do  not  want  such  arrangements  for  permanent  use,  but  for  an  emergency, 
and  especially  when  it  is  necessary  to  get  chicks  out  of  a  crowded  and  badly  ventilated  coop  or 
house,  such  quickly  improvised  coops  are  a  good  thing.  Give  the  chicks  room  if  you  can  do  no 
more  to  provide  it  than  to  made  a  rude  shelter  of  boards. 

Letting    Chicks     Roost    in    Trees. 

On  the  score  of  general  health  there  is  no  objection  whatever  to  letting  chicks  roost  in  trees. 
The  objectionable  features  of  it  are  that  the  chicks  acquire  too  much  readiness  to  fly,  that  they 
are  not  easy  to  get  at,  if  one  has  occasion  to  catch  them,  and  that  their  habits  have  to  be 
radically  changed  in  the  fall  when  they  must  go  into  the  houses. 

Teaching   Chicks   to    Roost. 

Many  chicks  of  the  light  and  medium  weight  varieties  begin  to  roost  of  their  own  accord 
about  the  weaning  age.  If,  when  they  are  first  put  into  roosting  coops,  one  or  two  hens  are 
left  with  each  bunch,  the  hens  may  soon  teach  the  chickens  to  roost.  The  chicks  may  sit  on 
the  floor  for  awhile,  but,  as  a  rule,  if  a  few  begin  to  roost,  the  rest,  one  by  one,  follow  their 
natural  instinct,  and  before  long  the  entire  lot  will  be  roosting.  If  they  do  not  begin  roosting 
as  they  should,  even  with  a  few  old  birds  for  guides,  put  a  wide  board  in  place  of  a  roost, 
about  ten  inches  from  the  ground,  and  extending  back  to  the  wall,  and  go  after  dark  and  put 
chicks  up  on  this.  Generally  after  a  few  lessons  they  will  go  up  of  their  own  accord.  Then 


FIRST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  55 

the  board  may  be  moved  out  from  the  wall,  so  that  chicks  crowding  to  the  wall  will  drop  ott, 
and  when  the  chicks  learn  not  to  huddle  to  the  wall,  take  out  the  board  and  put  in  its  place  an 
ordinary  roost. 

Chicks  of  the  heavy  breeds  ought  not  to  roost  as  early  as  the  others.  Many  of  them  will  not 
roost  until  about  full  grown,  and  chicks  from  Brahma  or  Cochin  stock  that  have  been  kept  with- 
out roosts  for  generations  are  sometimes  very  hard  to  teach  to  roost.  I  have  had  some  that  I 
gave  up,  and  let  have  their  way. 

If  chicks  will  roost  it  is  better  that  they  should,  for  on  the  roost  they  are  not  crowding  and 
sweating,  nor  are  they  fouling  themselves  in  their  own  droppings.  The  one  thing  to  avoid 
when  chicks  roost  young  is  crooked  breast  bones,  and  with  roosts  three  to  four  inches  wide  no 
more  of  these  occur  than  would  probably  develop  regardless  of  roosting  conditions. 

Yard  Room  and  Range  for  Growing  Chicks. 

To  grow  good  chicks  without  extraordinary  attention  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  have 
plenty  of  room  outdoors.  I  would  make  the  minimum  of  yard  room  about  the  same  as  for 
adult  fowls  when  yards  are  to  be  kept  in  grass,  and  would  double  this  if  possible.  The  more 
room  you  can  give  your  growing  chicks  the  less  care  you  will  have  to  give  them,  and  the  less 
risk  you  run  in  raising  them.  When  chicks  are  kept  in  small  yards,  the  yards  late  in  the  season 
become  very  foul,  and  they  will  not  thrive  on  foul  ground  as  they  will  on  clean  fresh  ground — 
especially  a  nice  grassy  lot. 

By  giving  due  attention  to  all  their  wants,  seeing  that  their  quarters  are  kept  quite  clean,  and 
providing  exercise  and  sufficient  supplies  of  animal  food  and  green  food  with  the  grain  ration, 
good  chicks  may  be  grown  in  very  limited  quarters,  but  I  doubt  whether,  when  time  and 
expense  are  considered,  there  is  any  profit  in  growing  stock  that  way  except  for  market. 
Crowding  tends  to  shorten  the  period  of  development,  and  to  make  chicks  sexually  mature 
before  they  are  full  developed  physically.  That  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  market  chicks,  if 
thrifty,  make  a,  plumper,  better  filled  out,  as  well  as  a  softer  meated,  carcass  than  chicks  given 
more  liberty.  The  chick  given  good  range  develops  a  better  frame  which  subsequently  fills  out 
fully,  but  for  quick  development  for  market  condition  confinement  is  preferable.  So  poultry- 
men  are  accustomed  at  about  the  weaning  age  to  separate  the  chicks  destined  for  market  from 
those  reserved  for  stock  purposes,  and  handle  the  two  lots  differently. 

Feeding   the  Growing   Chicks. 

The  methods  of  feeding  chicks  after  weaning  are,  or  should  be,  a  continuance,  with  some 
modifications,  of  the  method  followed  previous  to  that  time.  A  radical  change  of  methods  of 
feeding  at  this  period  is  most  unwise,  and  unless  the  feeding  of  the  small  chicks  is  much  the 
same  as  that  of  old  stock,  the  feeder  should  begin  weeks  before  weaning,  and  change  gradually 
from  the  baby  chick  ration  to  that  which  is  to  be  used  this  season.  The  growth  of  a  thrifty 
chick  at  this  period  is  notable  from  week  to  week,  and  the  amount  of  food  consumed 
increases  very  fast. 

The  chicks  have  now  attained  such  size  that  they  are  no  longer  easy  prey  to  cats,  crows, 
small  hawks,  and  other  enemies  which  hunt  by  day,  and  so  may  be  given  more  liberty,  and 
kept  further  from  the  dwelling  with  less  risk  of  loss.  Under  such  conditions,  with  good 
range  and  sun  and  shade,  the  feeding  proposition  becomes  so  simple  that  if  the  chick  has 
reached  this  stage  with  good  sound  digestive  organs,  it  is  quite  impossible  to  go  wrong  with 
it.  The  general  conditions  correct  any  errors  in  feeding,  and  it  will  make  practically  very 
little  difference  what  method  is  used — provided  the  chicks  get  enough  to  eat.  It  is,  further, 
almost  impossible  to  overfeed  chicks  under  such  conditions,  and  the  thing  to  avoii  is  not 
overfeeding  on  account  of  danger  to  the  chicks,  but  overfeeding  with  consequent  loss  of 
food  before  the  chicks  eat  it. 

Still,  in  giving  food,  one  can  put  it  out  much  more  freely  than  if  the  chicks  were  confined  to 
a  small  area,  because  if  the  grain  is  broadcasted  they  do  not  foul  it  as  they  do  food  in  coops  or 
small  yards;  and  if  fed  in  hoppers,  or  even  in  open  troughs,  they  do  not  linger  around  these 
as  they  would  if  they  had  no  opportunity  to  forage,  and  so  the  place  is  cleaner. 

If  the  yards,  while  giving  a  fair  allowance  of  room,  are  still  so  small  that  it  is  thought  best 
to  feed  several  times  a  day,  the  feedings  may  be  reduced  to  three  or  four,  and  these  timed  to 
suit  the  convenience  of  the  keeper. 


56  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

My  usual  method  of  feeding  chicks,  from  weaning  until  they  go  into  winter  quarters,  is: 
Morning. —  Mash. 

Morning. —  (As  soon  after  the  mash  is  fed  as  I  get  around  to  it,  say,  within  an  hour). 
Wheat  or  cracked  corn  —  wheat  if  price  is  right.  Enough  is  thrown  broadcast  in  the 
grass  to  give  them  something  to  look  for,  and  still  find  good  picking  until  late  in  the 
afternoon. 

Afternoon. —  (About  4  to  5  o'clock,  as  I  happen  to  get  home  from  the  office).— A  good 
feed  of  fine  cracked  corn.  If  it  is  early  so  that  the  chicks  have  time  to  hunt  for  it, 
and  still  get  a  good  feed  before  6  o'clock,  I  scatter  the  grain  widely.  If  it  is  a  little 
late  I  throw  it  down  in  handfuls  on  the  shorter  grass. 

Evening. — (Just  as  the  chicks  are  going  in  for  the  night). — All  the  mash  they  will  eat. 
Chicks  will  eat  a  good  bit  of  mash  after  having  had   their  fill  of  hard  grain,  and  also 
will  eat  quite  freely  of  grain  after  having  eaten  all  the  mash  they  want. 
To  get  the  best  possible  growth  the  chick  must  be  full  fed  daily.     If  it  has  good   digestion, 
and  can  take  plenty  of  exercise,  heavy  feeding  will  not  hurt  it,  unless  the  proportion  of  meat 
scrap  in  the  mash  is  too  great.     My  observation,  however,  has    been  that  very  few  err  by 
giving  growing  chicks  too  much  meat.    The  general  tendency  is  to  give  them  too  little,  and 
the  digestive  troubles  which  chicks  develop  during  this  period  are  generally  due  to  crowding 
and  lack  of  exercise  and  green  food  combined  with  heavy  feeding. 
In  other  words: — 

Under  natural  conditions  overfeeding  is  almost  impossible,  while, 
When  chicks  are  confined  in  too  restricted  quarters  we  have  to  be  careful  in  feeding 
them,  not  because  the  feeding  system  is  bad,  but  because  the  other  conditions  interfere 
with  digestion. 

Under  artificial  conditions  we  have  to  balance  rations  with  a  care  we  need  not  use  under 
natural  conditions. 

The  system  of  feeding  given  above  differs  from  that  I  use  for  adult  fowls  only  in  that  grain  is 
given  rather  more  freely,  and  a  second  mash  is  given  supplementing  the  last  feed  of  grain. 
Such  feeding  as  this  constitutes  "forcing,"  or  not,  as  you  look  at  it.  If  chicks  are  given  a  meal 
of  only  one  kind  of  food,  and  we  take  what  they  eat  that  way  and  the  results  obtained  as  our 
standards,  then  whatever  induces  them  to  eat  more  than  by  this  system  is  forcing,  and  any 
better  results  thus  obtained  are  due  to  such  forcing. 

But  consider  this,  instead,  from  our  own  point  of  view.  Do  we  not  eat  more  when  we  have 
a  variety  (not  too  great)  at  a  meal  than  when  the  meal  is  comprised  of  but  one  or  two  plain  and 
perhaps  not  very  palatable  foods?  As  I  look  at  it,  by  giving  a  variety  we  are  not  forcing  the 
chick,  we  are  simply  securing  the  fullness  of  development.  All  the  feeding  and  heavy  feeding 
the  chick  can  stand  stops  short  of  forcing.  Forcing  begins  when  the  chick  cannot  stand  the 
ration  given  it,  and  its  digestion  gives  out,  or  it  goes  down  on  its  legs,  and  as  has  been  said  these 
troubles  are  avoided  by  making  conditions  which  admit  of  heavy  feeding,  better  than  by  keep- 
Ing  conditions  bad  and  making  rations  to  suit  faulty  conditions. 

Different  Rations  for  Different  Purposes. 

From  what  hasjust  been  said  about  the  relations  between  feeding  and  conditions  the  reader 
is  prepared  to  understand  that  the  simplest  way  to  arrange  for  feeding  for  different  results  is  to 
change  the  conditions,  letting  the  system  of  feeding  remain  the  same. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  results  to  be  considered  in  feeding  chicks  after  weaning. 

1.  Feeding  chicks  for  stock  purposes,  that  is,  chicks  to  be  used  when  mature  for 
layers  or  breeders. 

2.  Feeding  chicks  to  be  marketed  at  the  most  profitable  marketable  size. 

For  chicks  for  stock  purposes  we  have  to  either  give  conditions  or  make  a  ration  which  they 
can  stand  indefinitely. 

For  market  chicks  the  final  consequences  of  feeding  and  conditions  may  be  disregarded — pro- 
vided they  are  not  reached  before  the  chick  is  to  be  marketed. 

Suppose  now  a  poultryman  has  a  lot  of  chicks,  the  pullets  and  a  few  cockerels  of  which  he 
wishes  to  reserve  for  stock  purposes,  while  the  rest  of  the  cockerels  he  will  market  as  soon  as 
possible. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  57 

He  shuts  the  cockerels  that  are  to  be  marketed  in  a  small  yard,  and  feeds  them  the  same  as 
the  others,  but  as  they  take  little  exercise,  they  grow  faster,  put  on  fat  more  readily,  and  are 
soon  in  salable  condition. 

The  chicks  for  stock  purposes  he  gives  more  room,  they  take  more  exercise,  develop  larger 
frames  and  grow  constitutionally  stronger,  while  the  others,  though  putting  on  weight  more 
quickly,  are  growing  constitutionally  weaker.  In  the  long  run  the  chicks  that  are  given  the 
best  conditions  will  make  the  better  development,  but  for  quick  returns  and  profits  from  meat 
the  other  way  is  better,  the  chicks  being  disposed  of  before  they  break  down  under  the  forcing 
process. 

Making  the  difference  in  conditions,  and  consequently  in  the  method  of  feeding,  will  be  found 
the  most  economical  way  of  special  feeding  for  special  results.  There  is  no  need  of  special 
foods  for  different  purposes. 

Separating   Chicks. 

Perhaps  it  would  be  more  appropriate  to  say,  "assorting  the  chicks."  Some  authorities  put 
great  stress  on  the  separation  of  the  sexes  early  in  life;  but  separation  according  to  age  and 
size,  and  the  separation  of  the  thrifty  from  the  unthrifty  are  of  greater  importance.  The 
separation  of  the  sexes  of  thrifty  chicks  of  the  same  age  and  size  need  not  be  made  at  all  when 
they  are  to  be  handled  the  same  way,  except  when  the  cockerels  begin  to  annoy  the  pullets. 
This  time  will  vary  with  different  breeds,  so  we  have  a  general  rule,  but  a  special  application  of 
it  in  each  case.  Leghorn  males  are  very  precocious.  In  Asiatics  It  is  not  at  all  uncommon  for 
the  pullets  to  begin  to  lay  before  the  cockerels  of  the  same  age  would  offer  them  any  attentions. 
Between  these  extremes  we  have  cockerels  of  different  breeds  arriving  at  the  age  when  it  is 
advisable  to  separate  them  from  the  females  at  varying  periods,  and  the  only  point  necessary  to 
observe  is  to  remove  a  male  that  annoys  the  females  in  advance  of  their  inclination. 

Overcrowding. 

Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  on  the  importance  of  preventing  the  overcrowding  of 
growing  chicks.  With  an  ordinary  sized  brood  with  a  hen  there  is  practically  no  possibility  of 
overcrowding  while  the  chicks  are  small,  but  after  the  chicks  are  weaned  they  grow  so  rapidly 
that  a  coop  that  was  adequate  when  they  were  eight  weeks  old,  may  be  entirely  too  small 
when  they  are  twelve.  A  great  many  poultrymen  leave  their  chicks,  after  weaning,  in  the 
small  coops  in  which  they  were  kept  with  the  hen.  This  practice  sometimes  works  all  right, 
but  is  uncertain,  depending  much  on  the  disposition  of  the  chicks  in  each  lot.  If>  when  they 
find  the  coop  too  small  and  close,  they  sit  on  the  ground  outside,  or  on  the  coop  itself,  no  over- 
crowding will  occur,  but  if  they  all  push  into  the  coop  and  pile  up  there,  one  warm  night 
will  spoil  many  weeks  of  good  growth. 

There  is  special  need  of  guarding  against  overcrowding  when  chicks  are  kept  in  coops  or 
houses  that  are  closed  at  night.  Many  coops  or  houses  are  so  constructed  that  it  is  not  possible 
to  get  such  circulation  of  air  into  them  on  sultry  nights  as  there  should  be  to  give  the  chicks 
what  fresh  air  they  need. 

Fresh  air  they  must  have.  They  can  no  more  thrive  without  it  than  without  food.  It  is 
because  so  many  poultrymen  fail  to  provide  ventilation  suitable  to  warm  weather  conditions 
that  so  many  lots  of  chicks  that  start  well  in  the  spring  are  spoiled  in  the  summer.  The 
number  so  injured,  and  the  total  loss  in  consequence,  are  very  much  greater  every  year  than 
anyone  who  has  not  looked  into  the  matter  would  believe. 

Chicks  can  be  kept  (roost)  in  quite  small  coops  provided  there  is  free  circulation  of  air,  but 
if  the  chicks  are  to  be  confined  where  air  does  not  circulate  freely  the  number  that  will  do  well 
in  a  place  is  hardly  greater  than  the  number  of  adult  fowls  that  would  be  considered  right  in 
that  place. 

Keep  the  Chicks   Growing. 

A  well  known  poultry  writer  is  accustomed  to  assert  that  the  secret  of  success  in  winter  egg 
production  is  to  keep  the  chicks  growing  from  the  shell  to  maturity.  That  may  not  be  all  there 
is  of  it.  Looking  over  the  subject  we  can  see  other  essentials  not  included  in  his  view,  but  it 
certainly  is  of  great  importance  to  have  the  chicks  develop  steadily  without  check  or  setback. 

To  insure  this  there  must  be  constant  attention  to  the  wants  of  the  chick.    Now  I  do  not 


f>8  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

mean  by  this  that  the  attendant  must  be  forever  doing  something  for  them.  On  the  contrary  I 
think  chicks  will  stand  a  p  reat  deal  of  judicious  letting  alone.  But  the  attendant  must  see  that 
the  chicks  want  nothing,  lack  for  nothing  essential  to  their  comfort  and  development. 

They  need  alternate  shade  and  sunshine.  They  need  good  water,  and  all  they  want  of  it.  It 
should  be  before  them  all  the  time.  There  should  always  be  food  available  for  every  chick  to 
get  all  it  will  eat,  and  while  a  great  variety  is  not  necessary  there  should  be  sufficient  variety  to 
give  the  necessary  proportions  of  grain,  vegetable  and  meat  foods.  If  these  are  supplied 
freely  the  chick  balances  the  ration  for  itself.  Too  often  the  meat  and  vegetable  foods  are  sup- 
plied spasmodically.  This  is  especially  the  case  when  chicks  are  kept  in  close  quarters  and 
dependent  upon  the  attendant  for  everything  they  get.  While  growing  they  need  good  feeding 
even  more  than  after  maturity.  A  hen  of  good  constitution  may  go  underfed  for  quite  a  long 
time  and  not  suffer  permanent  harm,  but  a  chick  that  is  underfed  fails  to  grow,  and  practical 
poultrymen  agree  that  chicks  of  this  kind  are  made  up  of  subsequent  good  care  and  feeding  so 
rarely  that  practically  such  injuries  are  irreparable. 

Late   Hatched  Chicks. 

For  many  years  the  idea  prevailed  that  chicks  hatched  late  in  the  season  could  not  make  the 
development  of  the  earlier  chicks,  and  that  late  chicks  were  as  a  rule  not  profitable.  Gradually 
this  notion  has  broken  down  as  poultrymen  find  that  given  breeding  stock  in  as  good  condition, 
given  the  same  care  the  early  chicks  had,  and  above  all,  given  fresh  ground  to  start  on,  and  not 
ground  contaminated  by  the  early  chicks,  late  chicks  will  thrive  as  well  as  early  ones,  and  will 
have  ma<le  as  good  growth  at  corresponding  ages. 

The  first  difficulty  is  to  get  the  stock  in  good  condition  late  in  the  breeding  season,  and  it  is 
quite  hard  to  do  this  with  hens  except  such  as  have  had  a  rest  during  the  spring. 


FIRST    LE  IS  IS  ON  IS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  59 


LESSON      VIII. 


Points     to    be    Considered     in    Poultry    House    Con= 

struction. 


AS  I  THOUGHT  over  the  matters  to  be  taken  up  in  this  lesson,  and  tried  to  determine 
the  most  ^suitable  title  for  it,  it  seemed  to  me  at  first  that  it  would  be  most  aptly 
described  as  a  discussion  of  principles  of  poultry  house  construction.    But  when  I 
began  to    inquire   which  of  the  propositions  I  might  produce  in  this  connection  I 
could  call  "principles,"  I  concluded  that  that  was  a  word  which  might  us  well  be  omitted,  for 
there  are  very  few  of  the  customs  and  methods  of  building,  or  styles  and  plans  of  houses  for 
poultry,  that  are  so  universally  accepted  that  one  is  warranted  in  designating  them  as  prin- 
ciples, or  laws.    Those  upon  which  agreement  is  most  general  still  lack  very  much  of  being 
even  common  rules. 

Occasionally  we  find  a  certain  kind  or  type  of  poultry  house  prevailing  in  a  certain  territory, 
or  used  by  many  because  highly  recommended  by  someone  whose  opinion  is  regarded  as 
authoritative,  but,  taking  poultry  houses  as  they  come,  the  more  one  sees  of  them  the  more 
"  the  wonder  grows"  that  so  great  variety  of  plans  should  be  devised  for  buildings  for  the 
simple  purpose  of  affording  shelter  for  fowls.  It  should  be  said,  though,  that  the  greater 
number  of  these  houses,  and  especially  the  "  freak"  buildings,  were  not  designed  by  people  who 
had  had  experience  in  handling  fowls.  This-jf  a  matter  the  reader  would  do  well  to  keep  in  mind 
when  examining  poultry  houses,  and  listening  to  the  opinions  their  owners  express  of  them; 
and  if  an  odd  plan  or  feature  attracts  their  attention,  it  is  well  for  them  to  ascertain  whether 
it  was  designed  before  the  owner  began  to  keep  poultry,  or  after  some  experience  with  various 
styles  of  poultry  houses. 

Why  the  Housing  Problem  Sometimes  Becomes    Difficult. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  make  a  single  poultry  house  for  a  small  flock  that  will  not,  with 
reasonable  use,  give  fair  to  good  satisfaction. 

When,  however,  the  owner  of  such  a  satisfactory  small  house  makes  it  the  unit  in  a  system 
of  houses  for  a  large  flock  of  poultry,  he  very  often  gets  buildings  that  are  far  from  satisfac- 
tory— an  inconvenient  feature  that  seemed  trifling  in  the  single  house  becomes  intolerable  when 
multiplied  by  ten,  twenty,  or  perhaps  fifty,  while  features  of  construction  or  design  which  were 
unobjectionable  in  the  single  small  house,  work  altogether  differently  when  applied  on  a  larger 
scale. 

To  illustrate:  A  one  pen  house  may  be  16  or  20  feet  wide,  and  with  windows  in  the  ends, 
and  three-fourths  of  the  outside  wall  surface  touched  by  the  sun  at  some  time  of  the  day  be  dry 
and  comfortable,  and  sunny.  But  make  one  such  pen  the  unit  in  a  house  containing,  say,  ten 
pens,  and  in  eight  of  these  pens  the  only  sunlight  received  comes  through  the  windows  in  one 
side,  and  it  is  impossible  to  get  the  sunlight  to  the  back  part  of  a  pen  16  feet  wide  without 
making  the  building  high  in  front,  thus  adding  to  the  cost  without  increasing  the  capacity. 


60  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Another  point  to  consider  in  this  connection  is  this:— In  housing  poultry  we  have  too  often  a 
problem  corresponding  not  to  the  housing  of  human  families  in  roomy,  detached  dwellings,  or 
of  a  few  domestic  animals  in  ample  barns  or  sheds,  but  to  the  housing  of  population  in  flats  and 
tenements,  or  to  the  provision  for  the  health  and  comfort  of  human  beings  congregated  in  large 
numbers  as  in  schools,  churches  and  public  gatherings. 

The  ventilation  of  a  dwelling  house  is  a  comparatively  easy  matter.  Under  ordinary  circum- 
stances no  attention  need  be  given  it  but  such  as  any  sensible  person  will  give  almost  instinct- 
ively. But  to  maintain  a  supply  of  pure  air  and  still  keep  up  the  temperature  in  a  school  room 
where  forty  or  h'fty  pupils  are  kept  for  several  consecutive  hours,  or  in  a  church  where  500  to 
1,000  people  are  together  for.an  hour  or  two,  requires  more  general  knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  heating  and  ventilation,  and  also  special  knowledge  of  their  application  to  the  existing  con- 
ditions; and  it  is  for  want  of  such  knowledge  in  those  in  charge  of  such  places  that  bad  air  in 
an  underventilated  or  drafts  in  an  overventilated  room  make  public  places  more  productive  of 
colds  than  private  dwellings. 

In  the  poultry  house,  as  a  rule,  we  find  much  the  same  conditions.  Nearly  every  poultry 
keeper  either  builds  the  smallest  house  possible  for  the  number  of  fowls  he  intends  to  keep,  or 
having  a  building  or  buildings  of  certain  dimensions  stocks  them  to  their  fullest  stated  capacity 
— and  sometimes  away  beyond.  And  if  in  anything  different,  the  conditions  are  harder  in  the 
poultry  house,  for  the  children  in  school  are  there  for  two  relatively  short  periods;  the  people 
at  a  public  gathering  are  together  in  the  same  enclosure  for  only  a  short  time,  while  the  fowls 
are  often  confined  to  the  same  restricted  quarters  day  and  night  for  months.  To  state  the  point 
in  its  simplest  form,  the  artificial  methods  of  managing  fowls  often  make  housing  an  intricate 
problem,  when  with  more  natural  methods  it  would  be  a  very  simple  one. 

It  is  for  each  poultry  keeper  to  determine  for  himself  what  kind  of  problem  in  housing  he 
must  work  out,  and  after  presenting  in  this  lesson  general  information  on  poultry  houses, 
materials  and  construction,  we  will,  in  several  consecutive  lessons,  describe  houses  adapted  to 
a  variety  of  conditions  ranging  from  the  simplest  to  somewhat  complex,  but  stopping  quite  a 
long  way  from  the  limit  in  that  direction. 


Methods  of  Housing  Laying   and  Breeding  Stock. 

In  systems  of  housing  adult  fowls,  we  have  at  one  extreme  the  colony  plan,  which,  in  its  sim- 
plest form,  consists  in  placing  small  houses  for  flocks  of  a  few  dozen  fowls  far  enough  apart  to 
obviate  the  use  of  fences,  and  give  the  flocks  free  range  with  very  little  mingling  of  fowls 
from  different  flocks;  and,  at  the  other  extreme,  a  connected  series  of  houses,  each  containing 
many  pens  which  connect  each  with  the  adjoining  pens,  or  all  open  on  covered  walks  running 
the  entire  length  of  each  house.  In  what  we  call  the  extreme  type  in  this  house  arrangement, 
the  various  accessory  buildings  of  the  plant  are  located  in  such  manner,  and  so  connected  with 
the  poultry  houses,  as  to  make  it  possible  to  do  all  the  work  under  cover. 

The  number  of  possible  plans  and  arrangements  between  these  two  extremes  is  unlimited. 
To  enumerate  fully  the  common  and  familiar  house  plans  would  make  quite  a  formidable  look- 
ing list.  We  will  discuss  here  only  a  few  of  the  most  popular,  the  most  useful,  and  the  most 
interesting  plans  and  arrangements.  Some  of  the  latter  class  call  for  notice  not  because  of  the 
merit  of  the  plans,  but  because  their  features  seem  to  appeal  very  strongly  to  novices  in  poultry 
culture. 

We  classify  the  houses  we  are  to  discuss,  then,  as  follows: 

1.     As  to  Position  of  Pens  or  Compartments. 

(a).    SINGLE  PEN  HOUSES. 

Usually  these  are  small  houses,  the  ordinary  one  pen  poultry  house  having  a  floor 

area  of  about  100  sq.  ft.,  but  sometimes  they  are  large  enough  for  flocks  of  100  or 

more,  with  floor  area  of  500  to  1.000  sq.  ft. 
(b).    Two  (OR  MORE)  PEN  HOUSES   WITH  CONNECTING  PENS. 

This  is  the  most  common  arrangement  where  a  few  small  flocks  are  to  kept  in  the 

same  building. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


61 


(c).    Two  (OR  MORE)  PEN  HOUSES  WITH  WALKS  EXTENDING  THE  LENGTH  OF  THE 

HOUSE,  AND  ACCESS  TO  EACH  PEN  SEPARATELY  FROM  THE  WALK. 
This  is  the   most  common  arrangement  where  more  than  a  few  email  flocks  are 
kept  in  the  same  building. 
Position  of  the   Walk. 

In  a  house  facing  south  with   one  row  of  pens,  it  is  customary  to  put  the  walk 
along  the  back  or  north  side,  but  occasionally  the  walk  is  put  in  front.    This  latter 
arrangement  seems  to  me  to  have  little  to  recommend  it,  and  in  many  hundreds  of 
•  houses  that  I  have  in- 

spected, I  have  seen 
not  more  than  two  or 
three  with  walk  in 
front. 

In  a  house  with  two 
rows  of  pens,  the  walk 
must  be  in  the  middle. 
Such  a  house  may  face 
south.  In  that  case, 
the  south  pens  in  front 
of  the  walk  should 
have  low  roof  pitched 

to  the  south,  the  north  Semi-Monitor  Top  Roof. 

pens  a  high  roof  pitched  to  the  north,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  cut.  Or  the 
pens  may  face  east  and  west,  the  length  of  the  building  running  north  and  south, 
and  the  walk  in  the  middle  the  entire  length  of  the  building. 

I  don't  think  the  walk  in  the  middle  is  ever  found  very  satisfactory,  except  in 
comparatively  short  houses.  The  east  and  west  front  does  not  work  well  where 
winters  are  severe,  but  where  winters  are  mild  and  summers  oppressively  warm,  its 
faults  are  not  serious  in  winter,  while,  as  a  summer  house,  it  is  superior. 

2.     As  to  Construction  of    House   With    Reference   to    Methods  of 

Handling    Fowls. 

(a).    ORDINARY  CLOSED  HOUSES-. 

That  is,  houses  with  doors  and  windows  arranged  with  reference  only  to  ingress  and 

egress,  and  to  light. 
(b).    OPEN  FRONT  SCRATCHING  SHED  HOUSES. 

In  this  type  of  house  each  house,  or  each  section  in  a  series  of  pens,  consists  of  two 

compartments,  a  closed  roosting  room,  and,  connecting  with  it,  a  scratching  shed 

with  open  front. 

(c).    SCRATCHING  ROOM  HOUSES. 

This  type  of  house  is  intermediate  between  the  other  two,  and  is  by  all  odds  the  best  type 
devised  to  date.    It  differs  from  the  ordinary  closed  house  in  having  doors  and  windows 
designed  to  give  it  when  open  all  the  advantages  of  the  open  front  scratching  shed,  while 
when  closed  in  bad  weather  they  make  it  a  close  house  and  more  suitable  to  such  condi- 
tions than  the  open  front  shed.    It  has  the  additional  advantage  of  giving  greater  capa- 
city than  the  double  compartment  scratching  shed  plan.    In  that  plan  poultrymen  found 
in  practice  that  the  capacity  of  a  section  was  no  greater  than  the  capacity  of  the  scratch- 
ing shed,  in  which  the  hens  passed  most  of  their  time.    The  most  common  dimensions  in 
such  houses  have  been  10  x  18  ft.  sections  divided  into  roosting  room  8  x  10  ft., -and 
scratching  shed  10  x  10  ft.    By  removing  the  partition  and  throwing  the  two  compart- 
ments into  one  the  capacity  became  the  capacity  of  the  floor  of  the  entire  section. 
Why  "Scratching"  Shed  and  Room? — Most  readers  whose  interest  in  poultry  culture  dates 
not  more  than  a  few  years  back  will  have  some  curiosity  to  know  how  the  term  "scratching" 
has  come  to  be  given  so  much  emphasis  in  connection  with  housing  systems.    The  object  of  the 
open  front  scratching  shed  was  to  make  a  special  place  for  fowls  to  take  air  and  exercise 


62 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


together,  the  floor  being  littered  with  hay,  straw,  or  some  such  material  into  which  the  grain 
was  thrown  and  the  fowls  obliged  to  scratch  for  it.  The  practice  is  so  general  now  that  many 
will  be  surprised  to  learn  that  so  recently  as  ten  years  ago  there  were  probably  several  poultry- 
men  making  no  provision  for  exercise  to  every  one  who  did  make  such  provision.  In  the 
ordinary  closed  house  the  floor  is  often  littered  to  furnish  exercise,  though  there  is  not  the  same 
provision  for  fresh  air  as  in  the  so-called  scratching  room  house. 

3.     Styles  of  Roofs. 

In  describing  these  we  will  consider  only  roof  plans  for  which  there  is  a  practical  rea- . 

son.    In  these  we  may  have : — 

(a).     The  Single  Pitch  Shed  Roof  Sloping  North. 
With  this  style  of  roof  we  may  have  either  a  moderately  high  (for  a  poultry  house) 

front  (or  south)  wall,  and  a  low  rear  wall,  or  if  we  wish  the  wall  at  the  back  of  ordinary 

height,  the  front  wall  must  be  quite  high.    Houses  are  sometimes  built  the  latter  way, 

but  it  is  not  an  economical  plan,  and  has,  on  the  whole,  no  special  advantage. 

(b).     The  Single  Pitch  Shed  Roof  Sloping  South. 

This  plan  is  more  popular  for  brooder  houses  than  for  houses  for  laying  stock,  though 
one  may  find  a  good  many  houses  for  adult  stock  built  with  such  roofs. 

(c).     The  Double  Pitch  Roof  With  Equal  Sides  Pitching  North  and  South. 
This  is  probably  more  generally  used  than  all  other  styles  of  roofs  combined. 


Monitor  Top  Roof  Poultry  House. 

(d).     The  Double  Pitch  Roof  With  Equal  Sides  Pitching  East  and  West. 

This  plan  of  course  is  out  of  the  question  on  long  houses  running  east  and  west,  but 
it  could  be  used  to  good  advantage  much  oftener  than  it  is  on  small  houses,  as  will 
appear  in  some  of  the  house  plans  to  be  given  in  following  lessons, 
(e).     The  Double  Pitch  Roof  With  One  Long  and  One  Short  Pitch. 

This  is  often  used  on  low  houses  with  walk  at  one  side,  the  short  pitch  being  over  the 
walk. 

(f).     The  Monitor  Top  Roof . 
(g).     The  Semi- Monitor  Top  Roof. 

The  last  two  styles  should  be  considered  only  when  peculiar  conditions  make  it  neces- 
sary to  build  houses  of  such  styles. 

Height  of  Walls. — The  poultry  house  should  be  high  enough  to  allow  a  man  of  average 
height  to  work  comfortably  in  it  at  any  work  that  has  to  be  done  there.  The  relative  height  of 
opposite  walls  will  depend  on  the  roof  plan,  or  vice  versa. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  try  to  economize  in  material,  or  to  make  houses  warmer  by  making  them  too 
Jow  for  convenience  of  those  doing  the  work  in  them. 

4.     Quality    of    Construction. 

Many  poultry  houses  are  bu.it  much  better  than  is  necessary,  either  because  the  builder 
thinks  that  the  more  substantial  building  will  be  easier  to  operate,  or  because  he  wants  the 
building  dene  once  for  all.  It  is  better  to  begin  with  the  least  expensive  buildings  that  will 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  63 

answer  the  purpose.  Then  there  is  no  capital  unnecessarily  tied  up  in  buildings,  and  if  —  as 
is  very  likely  to  be  the  case — the  poultryman  with  added  experience  thinks  it  advisable  to  build 
differently,  he  can  do  so,  altering  or  replacing  a  cheap  building,  when  he  could  not  change  or 
do  away  with  an  expensive  one. 

A  low  cost  building  need  not  be  unsightly.  If  neatly  built,  painted,  and  the  surroundings 
orderly  and  well  kept,  it  may  present  a  much  better  appearance  than  a  better  building  not  so 
well  cared  for. 

Keeping  what  has  been  said  in  mind,  and  noting  that  the  expensive  house  is  built  because 
the  poultryman  wants  it,  not  because  the  fowls  need  it,  we  note  these  classes  of  construction: 
(a).    SINGLE  BOARDS,  WITH  OR  WITHOUT  BATTENS. 
(b).    SINGLE   BOARDS   COVERED   WITH   ONE  OR    Two   THICKNESSES    BUILDING 

PAPER  OR  ROOFING. 

(c).    SINGLE  BOARDS  COVERED  WITH  PAPER  AND  SHINGLED,  OR  COVERED  WITH 

LAPPED  SIDING  OR  MATCHED  LUMBER,  MAKING  A  SOLID  DOUBLE  WALL. 

(d).    DOUBLE   BOARDS   WITH  DEAD   AIR   SPACE  BETWEEN,  THE   OUTER  WALL 

COVERED  WITH  PAPER,  PREPARED  EOOFING,  OR  SHINGLES. 

Of  these  constructions,  b.  and  c.  are  the  most  common.  The  framework  for  such  buildings 
is  very  light— only  what  is  necessary  to  hold  it  together. 

Poultry  houses  may  also  be  built  of  almost  any  material  used  for  other  buildings,  except  such 
material  as  the  corrugated  iron  often  used  for  cheap  warehouses.  I  would  not  say  positively 
that  that  form  of  construction  could  not  be  made  satisfactory,  but  the  few  attempts  to  use  it 
I  have  seen  have  not  given  good  results. 

Poultry  houses  are  also  often  built  of  discarded  material  of  various  kinds,  not  ordinarily  used 
for  building  purposes.  Very  serviceable  buildings  are  made  of  old  railroad  ties  laid  or  set  on 
«nd  close  together,  and  the  interstices  chinked  with  clay  or  mortar,  as  in  the  log  houses  of  earlier 
days. 

In  sections  where  stone  is  abundant  the  rear  wall,  (especially  if  the  house  is  set  into  a  bank), 
is  often,  and  sometimes  the  end  walls  also,  built  of  stone,  and  the  whole  building  may  be  of 
stone  or  brick  if  desired ;  but  unless  it  can  be  built  without  cash  outlay  for  labor  this  Is  too 
expensive  where  economy  has  to  be  considered. 

5.     Capacity    and    Dimensions. 

One  of  the  first  points  to  be  considered  is  the  capacity  of  a  house  of  certain  dimensions,  or 
the  dimensions  required  to  give  a  desired  capacity. 

Floor  Space  per  Fowl.— The  common  rule  is  five  or  six  square  feet  of  floor  space  per  fowl. 
This  is  for  ordinary  sized  flocks  of  one  dozen  to,  say,  three  or  four  dozen.  For  a  smaller 
number  of  fowls  more  floor  space  per  fowl  should  be  given,  for  a  larger  flock  the  space  per 
fowl  may  be  somewhat  reduced,  for  while  it  is  customary  to  estimate  poultry  house  capacity 
according  to  average  square  feet  of  floor  space  per  fowl,  that  way  is  misleading  if  the  aver- 
age for  flocks  of  ordinary  numbers  is  made  the  basis  of  a  general  rule. 

Each  fowl  in  a  flock  has  the  use,  in  house  and  yard  room,  of  all  the  bouse  or  yard  area  not 
actually  occupied  by  its  companions.  That  is,  the  fowl  practically  has  the  use  of  the  entire 
house  and  yard,  and  while  with  a  flock  of  ten  hens  in  a  house  containing  60  sq.  ft.  floor  space, 
the  average  for  each  hen  is  6  sq.  ft.,  each  hen  really  has  the  use  of  60  sq.  ft.  of  floor,  and  has 
much  more  room  than  a  single  hen  in  a  house,  giving  her  20  or  30  sq.  ft.  floor  space  all  to 
herself. 

Cubic  Space  per  Fovjl.—  This  need  not  be  numerically  reckoned.  In  a  house  with  floor 
space  right  for  the  number  of  fowls  to  be  kept  in  it,  and  with  height  right  for  the  workman, 
there  will  be  air  space  enough  if  ventilation  is  properly  done. 

Proportions  of  Floor.— For  the  maximum  of  floor  space  at  the  minimum  cost,  a  building 
should  be  square.  To  make  a  building  of  many  pens  square,  or  even  approximately  so,  is 
obviously  out  of  the  question,  and  as  buildings  for  poultry  are  usually  constructed  with  side 
walls  about  6  ft.  high,  if  of  equal  height,  and  averaging  about  6  ft.,  if  the  walls  are  of  unequal 
height,  the  depth,  from  south  to  north,  of  a  house  facing  south,  and  having  windows  only  in 
the  south  side,  cannot  be  more  than  twelve  or  thirteen  feet,  and  have  the  sun  reach  every  part 
of  the  floor  at  some  time  of  day.  A  wider  house  must  be  higher,  or  the  parts  not  reached  by 
the  sun  will  be  often  damp  and  musty. 


64  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Now  if  we  establish  the  depth  of  a  house,  or  the  width  of  each  pen,  at  12  ft.,  and  make  the 
pen  square,  we  get  too  short  a  frontage  for  each  pen,  when  the  length  of  the  pen  is  to  be  the 
same  as  the  width  of  the  yard  connecting  with  it,  as  it  must  be  generally  in  a  long  house  con- 
taining many  pens.  So  to  suit  the  yards  better,  as  well  as  to  get  the  largest  capacity  in  each 
compartment  that  we  can,  we  make  the  pens  in  a  long  house  slightly  oblong,  and  in  length,  14, 
16,  or  possibly  18  ft,  but  not  more  than  18  ft.  in  a  house  12  ft.  wide,  because  the  longer  a  pen 
is  made  in  proportion  to  its  width,  the  narrower  it  becomes  in  proportion  to  its  capacity,  and  a 
flock  of  fowls  is  disturbed  a  great  deal  more  by  an  attendant  moving  about  in  a  long  narrow 
pen  or  yard  than  in  a  nearly'square  one,  where  the  distance  they  can  keep  from  the  attendant 
is  always  about  the  same. 

Planning  buildings  and  small  yards  with  reference  to  this  simple  point,  will  save  the  poultry 
keeper  a  great  deal  of  future  annoyance  in  his  work  with  his  fowls. 

Width  of  House  With  a  Walk.—  For  a  poultry  house  with  pens  12  ft.  wide,  3  or  4  ft. 
should  be  added  to  the  width,  if  it  is  to  have  a  walk.  If  a  walk  is  used  at  all  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  add  4  ft.,  which  gives  a  walk  about  3  ft.  6  in.  wide,  this  clear  without  taking  anything 
from  the  pens.  A  3  ft.  walk  is  rather  narrow. 

6.       About  Foundations  and  Floors. 

The  common,  cheaply  constructed  poultry  house,  if  placed  on  a  well  drained  spot,  needs  no 
foundation  or  underpinning.  The  sills  may  rest  on  the  earth,  leveled  to  receive  them,  while 
the  floor  is  of  earth  filled  in  to  the  level  of  the  top  of  the  sills.  The  sills  rot  out  in  time,  but  in 
the  judgment  of  some  of  our  best  poultrymen,  it  is  much  cheaper  to  replace  them  than  to  try  to 
keep  them  from  rotting,  while  the  opinion  that  a  poultry  house  must  have  the  floor  elevated 
enough  to  keep  it  always  very  dry  is  gradually  dying  out. 

If  one  wants  to  build  foundations  of  stone  or  brick,  or  to  set  buildings  on  cedar  posts  and  fill 
the  floor  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  or  more  with  stone,  that  is  his  privilege,  but  it  is  expensive  and 
is  rarely  really  necessary  when  a  house  is  placed  on  a  suitable  site.  If  the  site  is  defective,  that 
of  course  is  another  matter. 

For  floors  there  is  nothing  so  good  as  earth  renewed  once  or  twice  a  year,  and  there  are  few 
places  where  fowls  are  kept  that  it  is  not  possible  to  get  fresh  earth  as  needed.  The  labor  of 
renewing  the  floors  is  more  than  paid  for  by  the  advantage  of  the  earth  floor,  and,  for  one  who 
has  a  garden,  by  the  complete  saving  of  the  manure  dropped  in  the  house  and  the  thorough 
composting  of  manure,  earth  and  litter.  In  situations  not  the  best  for  poultry,  a  floor  may  be 
necessary,  and  may  be  of  wood,  cement,  or  brick. 

7.       Building  Materials. 

Mention  has  been  made  incidentally  of — I  think  —  all  the  common  building  materials.  The 
low  cost  poultry  house  in  any  section  is,  as  a  rule,  constructed  of  wood,  and  of  the  cheapen 
lumber  obtainable  in  that  section. 

If  it  is  to  be  of  a  single  thickness  of  boards,  some  attention  should  be  given  to  selection  of 
lumber,  and  the  boards  for  the  walls  surfaced  on  one  side;  but  this  need  not  add  materially  to 
the  cost,  for  by  a  little  care  an  ordinary  lot  of  boards  will  answer,  the  best  being  selected  for 
the  sides,  while  inferior  boards  are  worked  into  the  roof  or  inside  partitions. 

For  a  building  to  be  covered  with  shingles  or  building  paper,  the  cheapest  and  roughest  of 
lumber  will  answer. 

Shingles. — In  buying  shingles  it  generally  pays  to  buy  good  quality  because  they  go  further, 
and  the  labor  of  putting  them  on  is  less  than  for  inferior  grades  made  up  largely  of  narrow 
shingles,  and  containing  many  that  have  to  be  rejected,  and  when  laid  they  remain  in  good  con- 
dition very  much  longer. 

Prepared  "  Roofings." — Within  the  last  few  years  very  much  better  grades  of  this  class  of 
goods  have  been  put  on  the  market,  and  where  a  few  years  ago  I  would  have  unhesitatingly 
affirmed  that  shingles  were  in  the  long  run  the  best  and  most  economical  covering  for  a  moder- 
ate cost  poultry  house,  what  I  have  seen  of  such  materials  as  Ruberoid  and  Paroid  roofings 
makes  me  think  it  wise  not  to  be  too  positive.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  bow  these  goods  will 
wear  with  shingles,  nor  can  I  give  here  the  comparative  cost,  but  will  go  into  the  matter  in 
detail  in  connection  with  one  of  the  house  plans  to  be  given. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  65 

Putting  Honey  in   Poultry  Buildings. 

In  concluding  this  lesson  I  want  to  urge  it  on  every  prospective  builder  with  all  the  emphasis 
possible,  that  the  best  policy  is  to  put  into  poultry  buildings  only  what  money  is  absolutely 
necessary.  The  general  tendency  of  beginners  is  toward  comparative  extravagance  in  build- 
ings and  too  great  economy  in  stock,  while  very  few  provide  for  the  reserve  of  working  capital 
which  they  need. 

In  many  cases  the  money  unnecessarily  put  into  buildings,  or  put  into  buildings  before  they 
were  needed,  would  have  given  the  poultryman  th»  working  capital  he  needed  for  expenses 
while  bringing  his  plant  up  to  a  profit  paying  basis. 

Remember  that  if  you  fail  your  fine  house  is  as  near  as  anything  can  be  to  a  dead  loss,  while 
If  you  succeed  you  can  replace  your  cheap  buildings  by  better  ones  designed  as,  with  your  suc- 
cessful experience  you  know  you  want  them. 


66 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   1'OULIRY 


LESSON    IX. 


Two   Plain    Cheap    Poultry    Houses  of    Simple   Con- 
struction. 


IN  THIS  lesson  I  will  describe  and  explain  the  construction  of  two  poultry  houses  I  have 
been  using  —  the  single  house  for  three,  the  other  for  four  years.     I  take  uu  thess  plans 
first  for  two  reasons:    A  good  many  readers  of  these  lessons  are  asking  what  kind  of 
house  I  prefer;  the  construction  is  about  as  simple  as  it  is  possible  to  make  it,  and  the 
cost  about  as  low  as  it  can  be  made  in  a  house  built  of  new  material  without  patching. 

In  some  places  short  cheap  boards  (box  boards)  may  be  obtained,  and  with  them  houses 
may  be  built  at  less  cost  per  fowl  than  in  these  houses,  but  the  boards  are  very  often  o'  such 
quality  that  a  house  built  of  them  needs  to  be  covered  with  something  else  to  make  it  j^ok 
well,  to  say  nothing  of  making  it  tight  —  if  that  Is  considered  necessary. 


A    House  for    a    Dozen    Fowls. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  67 

A    House  for   a    Dozen   Fowls. 

The  accompanying  illustration  shows  a  small  house  that  I  built  in  the  fall  of  1902.  I  had 
two  broods  of  chicks  hatched  the  last  of  June  that  had  run  together  all  summer,  making  their 
night  quarters  in  an  old  dry  goods  box,  and  having  the  run  of  about  an  acre  of  mowing  land. 
When  they  outgrew  the  dry  goods  box,  all  other  accommodations  were  full,  and  I  was  very 
busy  and  had  little  time  to  plan  or  build.  The  house  was  designed  almost  impromptu,  and 
built  in  the  spare  time  of  a  few  days.  I  did  not  try  to  keep  account  of  time,  but  think  it 
was  about  a  day's  work,  as  I  did  the  work  piecemeal  and  alone.  Originally  I  had  no  thought 
of  making  it  a  model,  or  building  others  like  it.  In  fact,  intended  to  use  it  only  for  the 
chicks  for  which  it  was  built  until  I  had  room  for  them  elsewhere,  and  afterwards  to  use  it 
as  an  extra  house  for  any  purpose  for  which  a  building  of  its  size  would-  be  convenient,  as 
for  sitting  hens,  fattening  cockerels,  breaking  up  broodies,  for  a  small  breeding  pen,  to  store 
leaves  in,  for  any  such  use,  or— if  not  needed— let  it  stand  idle.  It  seemed  so  very  satisfactory 
in  use,  however,  that  1  afterward  built  one  other  like  it — except  in  one  particular  in  which  the 
change  does  not  apper  to  be  an  advantage  —  and  from  experience  with  these  two  houses  I 
would  —  for  my  own  use  —  make  this  the  model  for  small  colonies  of  fowls. 

Dimensions   and   Materials. 

This  house  Is  S  ft.  square  on  the  ground ;  4  ft.  high  at  the  sides;  7  ft.  high  in  the  middle. 

It  has  only  a  part  of  a  frame  of  dimension  stuff.  No  upright  studs  or  posts  are  used 
except  at  the  door,  and  these  are  not  absolutely  necessary.  It  is  built  with  2x6  in.  stuff  for 
sills,  2x3  in.  stuff  for  plates,  rafters,  and  other  frame  part* ;  is  covered  with  common  hemlock 
boards  surfaced  on  one  side,  is  battened  on  the  back  and  half  way  forward  on  each  side,  and 
the  roof  is  shingled  over  a  close  covering  of  boards. 

The  material  for  this  house  cost  me  $  12  (approximately).  I  was  buying  other  lumber  at  the 
same  time,  and  used  out  of  the  general  supply,  and  it  is  quite  likely  that  in  cutting  up  for 
this  house,  and  other  purposes  at  the  same  time,  I  used  some  odds  and  ends,  and  made  the 
actual  cost  slightly  less  than  I  have  figured  it  in  the  list  of  materials  given  below.  In  many 
places  the  lumber  could  be  bought  much  cheaper  than  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Boston. 
Lumber  (except  shingles)  for  this  house  cost  me  about  10%  more  than  for  the  next  house  to  be 
described  in  this  lesson,  which  was  built  the  year  before.  Shingles  cost  20%  more. 

List   of   Materials   and   Prices    When   House   Was    Built. 

2  pieces  hemlock,  2  x  6  x  16,  32  sq.  ft. 
4  pieces  hemlock,  2  x  3  x  16,  32  sq.  ft. 

3  pieces  hemlock,  2  x  3  x  10,  15  sq.^ft. 

79  ^q.  ft.  &  $20  per  M.,  $1  58 

250  sq.  ft.  hemlock  boards  ©  $20  per  M.,  5  00 

4-5  M.  2d  clear  shingles  @  $3  per  M.,  2  40 

Battens,  1  00 

Sash  60 

Nails,  hinges,  hooks,  etc.,  1  00 


Total,  $11  58 

That  $11.58  is  about  as  near  as  I  can  estimate  it  now,  and  is  close  enough.  We  will  call  the 
<;ost  of  the  house,  for  material,  in  round  figures  $12.  The  cost  of  building  should  not  exceed 
$3,  giving  ua  the  total  cost  of  the  house  $15,  not  the  cheapest  possible  house,  but  a  neat  looking 
serviceable  building  at  a  relatively  very  low  cost. 

How    to    Build    the    House. 

The  two  pieces  of  2  x  6  x  16  are  for  the  sills.  I  have  given  the  ground  dimensions  of  the 
house  as  8  ft.  sq.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  house  is  8  ft.  by  8  ft.  4  in.  on  the  ground.  That  Is 
the  measurement  from  outside  to  outside  of  sills. 


68  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY   KEEPING. 

It  happens  this  way :  When  we  cut  each  16  ft.  piece  in  two,  giving  us  the  four  pieces  for 
the  sills,  and  put  them  together,  nailing  the  side  sills,  which  we  call  b  b  to  the  end  sills,  a  a, 
we  have  our  sill  frame  4  in.  longer  one  way  than  the  other.  To  get  the  same  dimensions  both 
ways  we  would  have  to  cut  the  pair  of  sill  pieces  to  which  the  other  pair  is  nailed  4  inches 
shorter.  The  difference  is  comparatively  insignificant,  but  in  building  poultry  houses,  coops, 
nests,  etc.,  I  have  always  tried  to  follow  the  principle  of  taking  advantage  of  little  points  like 
this  whenever  the  lumber  allowed.  There  is  a  slight  gain  in  room,  and  also  a  slight  increase 
in  cost.  The  gain  in  room  may  not,  in  every  case,  be  proportionate  to  the  increase  in  cost,  but 
in  general  I  think  the  rule  will  be  found  a  good  one. 

The  sill  frame  should  be  nailed  together  with  large  spikes,  the  pieces  being  set  on  edge,  not 
laid  flat.  Nail  each  corner  with  one  nail  first,  then  square  up  the  frame,  using  a  steel  square  at 
the  corners  and  bracing  pieces  in  position  with  temporary  brace  across  each  corner  as  indicated 
by  the  dotted  piece. 

c* 

If  your  lumber  is  not  perfectly  straight  and  true  you  may  find  it  difficult  to  get  the  frame 
square.  In  that  case  measure  6  ft.  from  any  corner  along  one  side,  then  take  a  10  foot  straight 
pole,  or  strip  of  furring,  and  measure  from  this  point  to  a  point  8  ft.  from  the  same  corner  on 
the  adjoining  side.  To  have  your  angle  a  true  right  angle,  the  point  6  ft.  from  the  angle  on  one 
side  must  be  just  10  ft.  from  the  points  ft.  from  the  corner  on  the  adjoining  side,  your  10  ft. 
measure  forming  the  hypothenuse  of  a  right  angle  triangle. 

Have  your  sill  frame  approximately  square,  (a  very  slight  variation  due  to  crooked  lumber  is 
not  material)  then  ua!l  the  corners  firmly  and  the  braces  fast. 

Now  put  the  sill  frame  in  just  the  position  it  is  to  occupy,  level  it  up  and  block  it  solidly  in 
position.  If  it  is  on  uneven  ground,  and  to  put  the  whole  floor  above  the  level  of  the  highest 
point  would  make  too  much  filling,  dig  out  the  higher  side  and  part  way  across  the  ends  as 
much  as  seems  advisable,  making  the  resting  place  for  the  sills  level,  then  block  up  on  the  lower 
side. 

We  are  ready  now  to  begin  on  one  side.  First  nail  to  the  sills  the  two  end  boards  c  c,  4  ft. 
long,  letting  them  project  1  in.  beyond  the  corner  to  come  flush  with  the  face  of  the  end  boards 
d  d  when  they  are  put  on.  For  these  as  well  as  for  the  corner  boards  on  the  ends  of  the  house 
select  good,  clear  strong  boards.  Be  sure  your  boards  c  c  are  perpendicular  to  the  sill  to  which 
they  are  nailed,  and  then  put  short  braces  n  n  to  hold  them  perpendicular  to  the  end  sills. 

Now  put  the  plate  p  in  position,  the  upper  side  of  the  plate  being  about  half  an  inch  above 
the  end  of  the  boards  c  c,  to  allow  the  first  board  of  the  roof  to  project  over  the  side,  and  nail 
the  upper  ends  of  the  boards  c  c  to  it.  The  piece  o  may  also  be  put  on  now,  its  exact  position 
to  be  determined  by  the  height  of  the  window.  In  my  house  this  piece  was  about  6  ft.  long, 
only  its  use  in  connection  with  the*  window  being  considered,  but  when  I  came  to  put  in  the 
roost  I  found  that  the  use  of  a  short  piece  was  a  mistake.  Make  the  piece  o  the  length  of  the 
side  of  the  house;  your  sash  will  then  rest,  and  slide  on  it,  and  the  ends  of  the  roosts  can  also 
rest  on  o  o. 

Nail  on  the  board  which  comes  next  the  window  about  the  middle  of  the  side,  taking  care  to 
have  the  plate  p  and  the  stringer  o  in  correct  position.  The  tendency  will  be  for  both  to  sag  a 
little  in  the  middle.  Use  the  level  and  keep  them  true.  The  distance  from  this  board  to  the 
board  at  the  front  corner  is  the  width  of  the  window  opening,  and  should  be  an  inch  and  a  half 
less  than  the  width  of  sash.  Put  the  other  side  up  the  same  way. 

Now  the  building  is  ready  for  the  rafters,  of  which  but  three  pair  are  required,  one  at  each 
end  and  one  half  way  between.  To  cut  these  nail  a  short  strip  of  board  x  x  at  right  angles  to 
a  longer  strip  of  board  y  y,  as  at  D  in  the  illustration.  Make  a  line  through  the  middle  of  the 
short  board  x  x  to  a  point  3  ft.  from  the  edge  of  y  y.  This  gives  the  position  of  the  apex  of 
the  roof.  Now  from  the  point  where  the  line  x  x  meets  the  edge  of  the  board  y  y  measure  in 
each  direction  one  half  the  length  of  the  end  of  the  house.  In  my  house  this  Is  4  ft.  2  in.  In  a 
house  just  8  ft.  square  it  would  be  4  ft. 

Now  take  a  piece  of  2  x  3  and  lay  It  on  your  pattern  so  that  one  end  and  edge  come  at  x,  and 
the  same  edge  crosses  the  board  y  y  at  g;  and  with  a  straight  edge  mark  the  lines  x  x  and  y  y 
on  the  rafter.  Saw  on  these  lines  and  you  have  a  correct  pattern  if  your  measurements  are 


FIB  XT    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


Details   of    Construction   of  House  for   a   Dozen    Fowls. 


A—  fill  plan,  with  position  of  corner  boards  indicated  atcccc,  dddd.  E—  construction  of  a  corner.  B—  side. 
C—  front.  D—  method  of  cutting  pattern  for  rafters. 

correct,  and  you  saw  straight.  You  may  if  you  prefer  make  a  pattern  of  inch  or  lighter  stuff. 
In  either  case  having  made  the  pattern  from  the  upper  a  to  one  y,  try  it  to  the  other  one  and 
make  sure  that  you  are  right  before  you  cut  all  your  rafters. 

If  the  builder  of  such  a  small  house  has  an  assistant  when  putting  up  the  rafters  it  is  easy.  If 
he  is  working  alone  it  is  a  good  plan  to  nail  the  rafters  together  at  the  apex,  and  put  a  short  brace 
across  them  near  the  apex,  while  on  the  ground,  then  put  the  pair  in  position  together  and  nail 
the  lower  ends  to  the  plates. 

The  stringer  m  m  indicated  by  the  dotted  lines  in  C  may  now  be  put  in  position.  Next  put 
In  the  studs  j  j  which  make  the  door  frame  sides  and  the  cross  piece  i  at  the  top.  Cut  the  ends 
of  j  j  to  fit  sill  and  rafters,  and  let  the  face  of  the  studs  come  flush  with  the  face  of  sill  and 
rafters.  In  my  house  the  studs  are  each  1  ft.  from  the  center  of  the  end,  and  the  door  is 
5  ft.  7  in.  high. 

The  "frame"  of  the  building  is  now  complete. 

Before  nailing  the  rest  of  the  boards  on  the  sides,  put  the  lowest  board  on  each  side 
of  the  roof,  letting  them  project  2  in.  beyond  the  boards  c  c  on  the  sides,  and  the  ends  come 
flush  with  the  faces  of  the  boards  d  d  on  the*  ends.  If  you  do  this  you  put  the  boards  on 
the  sides  snug  up  against  the  roof  projection,  and  there  is  no  fitting  to  be  done  as  there  might 
be  if  the  side  boards  were  all  put  on  first.  If  you  neglected  to  have  the  ends  of  the  side 
boards  lower  than  the  upper  edge  of  the  plate,  you  will  find  that  they  prevent  the  first  roof 
board  from  going  into  the  position  you  want  it  In,  flat  on  the  rafters  and  projecting  2  in. 
beyond  the  side. 

It  makes  no  difference  whether  the  rest  of  the  roof  is  put  on  before  the  sides  and  ends  or 
after.  Leave  joints  about  half  an  inch  wide  between  the  boards  on  both  sides  (and  ends) 
and  roof  if  you  wish.  If  the  boards  happen  to  be  of  such  width  that  wider  joints  will  suit 
better,  they  may  be  as  much  as  an  inch  wide  on  the  front,  or  wherever  they  are  to  be 


70  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY   KEEPING. 

covered  with  battens,  but  where  there  are  no  battens  on  tbe  sides,  (principally  the  short  boards 
below  the  window),  put  the  boards  closer  together  to  prevent  snow  drifting  iu.  Too  wide 
joints  on  east  and  west  sides  may  admit  a  good  deal  of  snow. 

On  the  front  let  the  boards  next  tbe  door  come  only  to  the  middle  of  the  edge  of  the  stud  on 
either  side,  and  those  above  the  door  pnly  to  the  middle  of  the  cross  piece.  Before  beginning 
to  shingle  the  roof  nail  strips  of  batten  on  the  ends  as  a  finish,  as  shown  iu  the  illustration, 
and  make  the  edge  of  the  shingles  project  half  an  inch  beyond  these,  and  the  first  course  of 
shingles  project  two  inches  beyond  the  lower  board  of  the  roof  on  the  side.  Lay  shingles  five 
inches  to  the  weather.  If  you  have  never  done  any  shingling  it  will  be  worth  your  while  to 
take  a  lesson  in  the  art  from  a  practical  carpenter.  Observe  how  he  "  breaks  joints,"  so  that 
one  joint  shall  not  correspond  with  the  nearest  above  or  below  it.  Observe  also  that  he  does 
not  lay  the  shingles  close,  but  allows  a  little  space  for  them  to  swell  when  wet.  If  shingles 
are  hid  too  close  they  swell  and  bulge  up  when  wet. 

The  back  of  the  bouse  is  battened, and  the  sides  are  battened  half  way  forward,  thus  covering 
the  joints  to  a  point  a  little  forward  of  the  roost.  Before  battening  the  sides,  nail  a  strip  of 
batten,  corresponding  with  the  strip  under  the  shingles  on  the  ends,  snug  up  against  the  under 
side  of  the  roof  projection. 

To  finish  the  window,  make  the  boards  below  it  project  an  inch  above  the  stringer  o,  and 
nail  a  short  piece  of  furring  to  the  plate  p  above  the  window,  opening  and  projecting  an  inch 
below  the  plate.  Now  if  your  sash  is  a  close  fit,  a  lath  tacked  to  o,  and  another  to  p,  to  hold 
the  sash  in  place,  make  all  the  finish  necessary,  and  the  window  slides  easily  back  and  forth. 
If  the  sash  is  rather  loose  between  the  stringers,  use  an  inch  piece  for  an  upper  stop. 

To  make  the  door  take  boards  of  the  required  length,  having  an  aggregate  width  of  one  inch 
more  than  the  distance  between  j  j,  thus  allowing  a  lap  of  half  an  inch  all  around,  and  nail 
two  cross  pieces,  two  inches  shorter  than  the  width  of  the  door  at  top  and  bottom,  making  the 
top  one  about  six  inches  from  top  of  door;  the  bottom  one  eight  or  nine  inches  from  bottom. 
On  so  narrow  a  door  no  diagonal  brace  is  needed.  I  have  generally  screwed  cross  pieces  on, 
but  on  this  door  they  are  nailed  with  6d.  wire  nailes  clinched,  and  after  nearly  three  years 
exposure  the  door  is  good. 

A   Good    Cheap    House  for  a  Stock  of   75    Fowls. 

This  house  I  describe  here,  not  as  I  am  now  using  it,  but  as  I  first  built  it;  because  I 
think  it  likely  that  a  great  many  readers  will  be  more  interested  in  a  house  to  fit  the  con- 
ditions I  then  had  to  consider  than  in  one  adapted  to  my  present  needs.  After  giving  descrip- 
tion of  the  house  as  originally  built,  I  will  mention  changes  made  in  it  on  removal  to  present 
location. 

The  house  was  built  late  iu  the  fall  of  1901,  on  a  leased  place  from  which  I  moved 
two  years  later.  The  fact  that  I  would  probably  want  to  move  it  within  a  few  years,  and 
perhaps  move  it  some  distance,  had  to  be  considered  in  some  points  of  construction. 

The  diagram  is  for  a  house  12  ft.  wide  and  40  ft.  long.  At  the  east  end  of  the  house 
12  ft.  square  is  two  stories  high,  the  upper  story  being  used  for  pigeons.  The  one  story  part, 
the  dimensions  of  which  are  12  x  28  ft.,  is  divided  into  two  pens,  each  12  x  14  ft.  The 
first  floor  of  the  two  story  part  is  divided  in  the  middle  from  front  to  back,  and  the  east 
half  again  divided  in  the  middle  at  right  angles  with  the  first  partition,  giving  on  the  ground 
floor  of  the  two  story  part  a  pen  6  x  12,  a  smaller  pen  6x6,  and  an  entry  and  tool  room  6  x  6. 

The  one  story  part  of  the  house  is  6  ft.  2  in.  high  from  the  lower  edge  of  the  sill  to  the  top 
of  the  plate.  The  extra  two  inches  is  taken  because  the  lumber  would  allow  it.  The  posts 
being  cut  from  12  ft.  stuff,  and  the  plates  being  spiked  on  top  of  the  posts,  had  the  sides  been 
just  6  ft.,  the  posts  would  have  been  cut  5  ft.  10  in.  This  is  what  would  have  been  done 
had  it  been  necessary  to  make  the  boards  outside  completely  cover  the  sill,  but  as  there  was  no 
need  that  they. should,  I  used  the  posts  full  6  ft.  long. 

The  two  story  part  of  the  house  is  12  ft.  2  in.  from  lower  edge  of  sill  to  top  of  plate,  with 
the  lower  edge  of  tbe  upperfloorjoists  6  ft.  6  in.  from  top  of  sill. 

At  B  in  the  diagram  is  shown  the  outline  of  the  framing  for  the  rear  wall;  at  C  for  the  front; 
at  D  for  the  west  end  of  the  one  story  part,  and  at  E  for  the  east  end  of  the  two  story  part. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


71 


The  sills  are  2  x  6  in.  stuff  set  on  edge  and  resting  upon  the  ground.  As  the  land  lay,  the 
east  entl  of  the  space  the  house  would  cover  was  about  a  foot  lower  than  the  west  end. 
The  sills  at  the  west  end  were  let  down  into  the  ground  about  4  in.,  those  at  the  east  end 
blocked  up.  Afterwards  the  floor  inside  was  filled  to  the  level  of  the  top  of  the  sills,  and  the 
ground  outside  graded  as  required. 

The  posts  are  of  3  x  4  in.  stuff.  I  would  have  preferred  4x4  in.,  but  the  local  lumber  dealer 
did  not  have  them,  so  I  took  carefully  selected  pieces  of  what  he  had.  The  3  x  4s  are  all  right 


/.  H.  Robinson^s  Cheap  Poultry  House  for  75  Fowls,  as  Used  the  First  Winter. 

for  the  one  story  part,  but  for  the  two  story  part  they  would  be  too  light  if  any  considerable 
weight  were  to  go  on  the  upper  floor.  There  is  one  of  these  3x4  posts  at  each  corner  of  the 
two  story  part,  one  at  each  west  corner  of  the  one  story  part,  and  one  midway  of  each  side  of 
the  low  part.  The  plates  and  intermediate  scantlings  are  of  2  x  3  in.  stuff.  My  method  of 
j  oiniug  posts  and  sills  at  corners  is  shown  at  I  in  the  cut.  At  II  is  shown  in  detail  the  joints  on 
a  side  of  a  corner  post  of  the  one  story  part  of  the  house,  and  G  the  joints  on  an  end  corner. 

In  the  frame  of  the  back  of  the  low  house  the  intermediate  stringer  divides  the  space  between 
the  top  of  the  sill  and  the  bottom  of  the  plate,  making  each  space  2  ft.  8  in.  wide. 

In  the  back  wall  frame  of  the  high  part  the  top  stringer  is  so  placed  that  the  ends  of  the  floor 
joists  will  rest  upon  it,  and  the  lower  stringer  divides  the  space  between  the  upper  one  and  the 
sill,  making  each  space  3  ft.  wide. 

In  the  framing  of  the  front  of  the  low  part  the  upright  studs,  with  the  exceptions  of  the  posts 
mentioned,  are  of  2  x  3  in.  stuff,  one  being  placed  in  the  middle  of  each  pen,  and  the  others  at 
such  distance  from  it  as  required  by  the  width  of  the  doors,  which  here  is  3  ft. 

Pieces  of  2x  3  at  top  and  bottom  of  window  complete  this  frame.  The  sash  I  used  were 
second  hand,  bought  at  60  cts.  per  pair. 

The  front  of  the  higher  part  has  one  stringer  to  correspond  with  the  upper  one  in  the  rear 
wall,  and  another  one  parallel  to  it  30  in.  from  the  lower  edge  of  the  plate,  thus  making  the 
proper  space  for  the  upper  windows  to  slide  between  the  plate  and  this  stringer.  Pieces  of 
2x3  studding  are  erected  at  the  sides  of  the  window  in  the  middle  of  the  6  x  12  ft.  pen,  which 


72 


FIEST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


rr 


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*~c™H 


JURIST   LESSONS    IN    POULTJK1"    KEEPING. 


73 


West  Pen  of  J.  H.  Robinson's  Cheap  Poultry  Howe— Double  Doors  Closed. 

window  is  a  full  sized  window  with  sash  to  move  up  and  down.  Then  there  are  horizontal 
pieces  of  the  same  dimensions  at  the  bottom  of  the  window,  and  from  midway  of  either  side  of 
the  window  to  the  corner  posts. 

On  the  west  end  of  the  low  part  the  stringer  is  3  ft.  10  in.  from  the  top  of  the  sill. 

On  the  east  end  of  the  high  part  the  space  from  the  sill  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  first  hori- 
zontal scantling  is  4  ft.  6  in.,  and  the  space  between  this  and  the  next  scantling  the  same.  The 
short  scantling  above  the  window  is  simply  nailed  to  the  boards  on  either  side,  and  not  con- 
nected with  other  frame  work. 

The  west  end  of  the  higher  part  corresponds  with  the  east  end  above  the  upper  floor, 
but  not  below,  the  partition  between  the  6  x  T2  pen  and  that  next  it  being  like  that  shown  at  F. 

The  rafters  are  of  2  x  3  in.  stuff,  and  are  placed  3  ft.  apart,  except  that  between  the  pair 
of  rafters  at  the  east  end  of  the  low  roof,  and  the  pair  next  to  them,  the  space  is  4  ft.  This 
was  because  the  furring  used  was  in  12  ft.  length*,  and  as  I  intended  to  lay  the  shingles  on 
strips  of  furring,  and  wanted  to  select  the  best  of  the  furring  for  this  purpose,  I  figured 
that  there  would  be  a  little  less  waste  of  material  by  using  all  12  ft.  furring,  and  spacing  the 
rafters  to  suit.  When  I  came  to  use  the  furring  I  found  a  good  many  split  and  weak  ends 
which  had  to  be  discarded,  so  that  if  I  were  doing  it  over  again,  I  think  would  buy  all  14  ft. 
furring,  and  space  the  rafters  evenly.  There  would  be  some  waste  in  cutting  the  battens 
to  cover  the  joints  between  the  boards,  but  what  short  pieces  could  not  be  utilized  on  short 
joints  or  in  piecing  out  on  the  long  joints,  would  come  in  handy  for  something  else.  There  is 
almost  always  a  place  found  ultimately  for  such  bits  of  umber. 

The  sides  of  the  building  are  boarded  up  and  down  and  battened  with  strips  of  furring.    The 

*A,  ground  plan  of  house.  D  D,  outside  doors,  d  d,  inside  doors,  ww,  windows,  rr,  roosts,  s,  stair.  B,  out- 
line of  frame  work  of  rear  wall.  C,  outline  of  frame  of  front  wall :  the  dotted  lines  indicate  the  position  of 
the  windows.  D,  outline  of  frame  of  west  end.  E,  outline  of  frame  of  east  end.  F,  an  inside  partition 
between  pens.  G,  framing  of  west  end  at  corner  post.  H,  framing  of  back  at  corner  post.  I,  framing  of 
posts  and  sills  at  corner.  J, method  of  roof  construction  at  peak,  explained  in  the  text. 


74 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


boards  are  of  hemlock,  surfaced  on  one  side.  The  furring  is  surfaced  on  one  side,  rough  on  one 
side  and  edges,  and  the  rough  side  is  turned  in,  so  that,  as  the  reader  will  see,  the  covering  of 
the  joint  is  not  wind  tight.  It  should  be  added  that  no  battens  are  put  over  the  joints  on  the 
front  of  the  low  part,  as  with  the  number  of  hens  kept  in  here  it  is  not  desirable  that  the 
house  should,  at  any  time,  be  as  close  as  it  would  be  with  the  doors  shut  if  all  joints  were 
battened. 

The  roof  is  of  shingles  laid  5£  in.  to  the  weather  on  strips  of  2£  in.  furring  laid  3  in.  apart, 
except  that  the  first  courses  on  each  side  are  on  6  in.  boards,  which  project  beyond  the  sides 
about  two  Inches,  This  makes  a  roof  that  is  light  and  cheap,  yet  amply  strong.  The  roof  was 
put  up  with  the  idea  that  if  it  was  ever  necessary  to  move  the  building  it  could  be  easily  taken 
down  and  set  up  again.  With  this  in  view,  instead  of  directly  joining  the  two  rafters  of  each 
pair  at  the  peak  or  ridge  of  the  roof,  or  using  —  as  is  sometimes  done  —  a  5  or  6  in.  board  as  a 
ridge  pole,  I  used  two  strips  of  furring,  nailing  the  upper  one  firmly  to  the  ends  of  the  rafters 
of  one  side,  and  the  lower  one  to  the  rafters  of  the  other  side,  making  practically  a  split  ridge 
pole,  as  shown  at  J,  in  the  cut. 

As  I  framed  the  building  unaided,  this  part  of  the  work  had  to  be  done  on  the  ground.  The 
frame  of  the  roof  was  put  together  on  the  ground  in  four  12-ft.  sections,  the  rafters  in  each 
section  being  held  together  by  the  first  strip  of  furring  at  the  lower  end,  and  the  half  of  the 
ridge  board  attached  to  that  section,  and  by  two  strips  of  furring  crossed  on  the  under  side  of 
the  rafters.  Each  such  section  was  put  up  with  supports  from  the  ground  to  the  upper  part 
until,  the  lower  parts  of  two  opposite  sections  had  been  tacked  to  the  phites.  Then  the  supports 
were  knocked  out,  and  the  upper  parts  fitted  together,  after  which  the  ends  of  the  rafters  at  the 
plates  were  securely  nailed.  All  the  nailing  needed  at  the  joining  of  the  sections  at  the  peak  is 
what  is  required  to  prevent  the  light  frame  springing  or  slipping  before  all  the  strips  of  furring 
are  on  and  nailed  fast.  Only  one  ten  penny  nail  through  each  upper  end  of  a  rafter  to  the 
opposite  rafter  was  used.  The  shingles  used  were  "  2d  clear,"  costing  $2.50  per  thousand. 


West  Pen  o/ .7.  H.  Robinson's  Cheap  Poultry  House— Double  Doors  Open. 


Fill  XT  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  75 

There  is  a  little  waste  in  shingles  of  this  grade,  but  the  quantity  to  be  discarded  was  less  than 
I  expected,  and  of  the  five  thousand  bought  I  had  almost  half  a  thousand  left. 

The  doors  the  floor  of  the  upper  story,  and  the  partition  through  the  middle  of  the  lower 
story  of  the  two  story  part  are  of  matched  spruce.  The  object  of  having  this  partition  of 
matched  stuff  was  to  keep  the  dust  from  the  pens  off  things  kept  in  this  part.  The  floor  is  laid 
on  joists  of  2  x  6  inch  stuff,  placed  2  ft.  6  in.  apart  from  center  to  center.  For  the  stairway 
two  pieces  of  2  x  9, 10  ft.  long  were  used  for  stringers.  Then  nine  steps,  each  having  8  in.  rise 
and  8  in.  tread. 

The  inside  partitions  are  boarded  up  for  28  inches  from  the  ground.  Above  that  is  wire 
netting. 

The  roosts  are  of  2  x  3  inch  stuff,  wide  side  up,  placed  20  inches  from  the  ground,  the  roost 
next  the  wall  be.ing  18  inches  from  it,  and  the  space  between  the  two  roosts  16  inches.  The 
roosts  extend  the  full  length  of  each  pen,  thus  giving  in  the  large  pens  a  little  less  than  one  foot 
of  roost  room  to  each  fowl.  There  are  no  droppings  boards. 

The  construction  of  the  outer  doors  is  easily  seen  in  the  illustration  of  the  house;  the  only 
fastenings  on  the  doors  in  the  front  are  hooks  which,  when  the  doors  are  closed,  go  into  screw 
eyes  in  the  stud  in  the  middle  of  each  wide  doorway.  The  inside  doors  are  fitted  with  springs. 
For  nests  empty  boxes  of  suitable  size  set  on  the  floor  are  used.  Some  of  these  will  be  shown 
in  illustrations  in  connection  with  a  future  article  on  fixings. 

The  list  of  materials  in  this  house,  and  cost  of  same,  is  given  in  tabulated  form  herewith. 

The  list  as  given  does  not  Include  the  fitting  up  of  the  second  story  room  for  pigeons,  or  the 
cages  for  them  outside,  though  some  few  odds  and  ends  of  stuff  left  over  have  been  worked  in 
for  that  purpose.  With  what  additional  material  is  used  to  fit  up  the  pigeons,  the  material  in 
the  completed  building  will  come  to  just  about  $70  —  will  not  vary  more  than  a  few  cents  from 
this  either  way. 

As  I  did  all  the  work  myself  at  odd  times,  I  cannot  give  a  very  accurate  idea  of  the  probable 
cost  of  the  labor  if  one  hired  the  construction  of  such  a  building.  It  seems  to  me,  though,  that 
two  good  rough  carpenters  would  do  it  in  about  three  days. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  simply  want  the  lower  part,  or  a  repetition  of  it  in  sections,  I 
give  here  list  of  materials  and  cost  for  building  12x28,  with  two  pens  and  partition  in  the 
middle.  The  two  sections  of  this  house,  with  a  capacity  of  sixty  hens,  would  cost  the  man 
who  built  it  himself  $33.10.  That  is  $1.18  per  running  foot.  Perhaps  a  better  comparison  of 
the  cost  as  with  some  other  styles  of  house  could  be  made  on  the  basis  of  the  cubic  capacity  of 
the  house  and  its  cost  per  foot,  which  in  this  house  is  1£  cts.  With  cubic  air  space  as  cheap 
as  that  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  good  excuse  for  not  giving  the  hens  air.  and  the 
attendant  head  room. 

c* 

List  and  Price*  of  flaterials. 

6  pieces  3  x  4  x  12  .      72  sq.  ft. 

4  pieces  2  x  6  x  14  56  sq.  ft. 

9  pieces  2  x  6  x  12  108  sq.  ft. 

25  pieces  2  x  3  x  14  175  sq.  ft. 

14  pieces  2  x  3  x  12  84  sq.  ft. 

525  sq.  ft.  (ob  $20  per  M.,  $10  50 

1,000  sq.  ft.  hemlock  boards,  17  00 

500  sq.  ft.  furring®  $18  per  M.,  900 

5  M.  2d  clear  shingles  (ft) -$2  50,  12  50 

6  12-light  windows  (9  x  15)  fa)  60c.  each,  3  60 
400  sq.  ft.  matched  spruce  flooring,  8  80 

Nails  and  screws,  3  00 

5  pr.  6  in.  hinges  ®  lOc. ;  5  pr.  4  in.  hinges  <cb  8c.,  90 

Springs,  hooks,  hasp,  and  staple,  60 

Wire  netting,  50 

$66  40 

*Wheu  house  was  built.  1901. 


7$  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Materials  for  Two   12  x  14ft.  Sections. 

3  pieces  3  x  4  x  12  36  i-q.  ft. 

4  pieces  2  x  6  x  14  56  sq.  ft. 
2  pieces  2x6x12  24  J-q.  ft. 
8pieces2x3x  12  48  sq.  ft. 

19  pieces  2x3x14  133  sq.  ft. 

297  sq  ft.,  $5  94 

500  sq.  ft.  hemlock  boards,  8  50 

72  sq.  ft.  matched  spruce  boards,  1  58 

300  sq.  ft.  furring,  5  40 

2  windows,  1  20 

3iM.  shingles,  8  13 

Nails  and  screws,  1  50 

Hinges,  hooks,  etc.,     .  60 

Wire  netting  25 

$33  10 

Changes  That  Have  Been  Made  or  flight   be  Made  in  This  House. 

If  I  were  going  to  build  today  a  two  pen  house  of  the  capacity  of  this  one,  I  would  change 
the  construction  in  only  two  points. 

The  roof  would  be  sheathed  close  as  on  the  small  house  first  described,  instead  of  shingled  on 
furring.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  while  the  skeleton  roof  is  strong  enough  it  does  not  give  a 
smooth,  clean,  easily  whitewashed  surface  as  when  sheathed  with  wide  boards  laid  close 
together.  The  advantage  of  having  a  good  "ceiling"  I  think  much  more  than  compensates  for 
the  slight  additional  cost  of  the  roof. 

The  other  point  I  would  alter  would  be  that  in  each  end  I  would  put  a  window,  either  a  full 
size  window  in  the  middle  of  the  end,  or  a  half  window  near  the  front,  that  point  to  be  deter- 
mined by  the  light  as  affected  by  surrounding  conditions.  When  I  moved  the  house  I  enlarged 
the  windows  in  front,  but  find  that  it  would  have  been  more  satisfactory  to  put  windows  in  the 
ends,  and  intend  to  change  them  before  next  winter. 

When  the  house  was  moved  the  larger  two  pen  part  was  set  up  separately,  and  the  pigeon 
house  detached  and  made  a  one  story  house.  I  think  that  for  either  poultry  or  pigeons  it  is 
better  to  have  everything  on  the  ground  floor  if  possible,  but  in  case  one  is  crowded  for  ground 
room  it  is  sometimes  advisable  to  use  two  story  buildings. 

Another  change  made  in  this  building  after  moving  it  was  to  put  doors  in  the  north  side  to 
allow  passage  for  both  fowls  and  attendant  to  yards  north  of  the  building  used  in  summer. 
This  change  made  it  necessary  to  shorten  the  roosts  about  three  feet,  and  board  up  beside  the 
door  to  a  point  a  little  forward  of  the  outer  roost.  In  winter  when  the  fowls  are  in  yards  south 
of  the  house  the  doors  in  the  north  side  are  nailed  up. 

The  Question  of  Cold   Houses. 

It  would  be  out  of  the  question  to  enter  here  into  such  discussion  of  the  relative  merits  of 
"warm"  and  "cold,"  closed  and  open  poultry  houses,  which  consideration  of'the  plans  I  have 
given  suggests.  Those  who  have  files  of  the  paper  will  find  a  great  deal  said  both  for  and 
against  the  idea  of  using  such  a  "shed"  as  this  or  anything  at  all  approaching  it  in  structure.  I 
will  only  say  here  that  while  it  is  not  yet  demonstrated  that  this  is  the  better  way  of  housing 
fowls,  and  will  give  better  results  than  close,  warm  houses,  results  obtained  in  these  houses  and 
the  condition  of  the  stock  kept  in  them  begin  to  make  it  necessary  that  one  who  argues  against 
them  should  argue  from  practical  experience  with  them— and  also  from  sensible  treatment  of 
stock  in  them. 


FIN  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  77 


LESSON     X. 


Five  Good    Small     Poultry   Houses. 


IN  THE  last  lesson  I  gave  plans  and  descriptions  of  two  bouses  that  suit  me  for  my  way 
of   keeping  fowls  and  doing  the  work  for  them.     In  this  paper  I  give  plans  for  five 
small  houses,  furnished  by  as  many  different  readers  of  FARM-POULTRY,  in  response  to 
an  offer  made  lo  bring  out  good  ideas  of    poultry  house  construction.      These  five  I 
selected  from  a  large  number,  as  combining  good   plans  and  good   statements  for  low  cost 
poultry  houses. 

Let  me  refer  in  this  connection  to  a  criticism  a  reader  of  the  paper  occasionally  makes  about 
my  advocacy  of  low  cost  poultry  houses.  Most  poultrymen  want  houses  to  cost  as  little  as 
possible,  and  still  be  as  good  as  necessary.  It  is  on  the  point  of  how  good  it  is  necessary  for 
a  building  for  fowls  to  be  that  their  opinions  differ.  A  good  many  people  do  not  believe  that 
fowls  can  be  comfortable,  contented,  and  productive  in  such  houses  as  I  use  —  and  will  not 
believe  it  until  they  try  it.  Others  think  that  while  these  houses  may  suit  my  breed,  they  would 
not  suit  theirs  —  and  probably  they  will  not  believe  until  they  have  gradually  learned  that  the 
requirements  of  a  breed  are  not  absolute,  but  that  the  stock  can  be  adapted — hardened  in  this 
case  —  to  the  conditions  made  for  it,  and  that  when  once  "  acclimated  "  to  the  cold  house, 
fowls  may  do  as  well  or  betttr  in  it  than  in  warm  houses. 

However,  houses  warmer  and  tighter  than  those  described  in  the  last  lesson  can  be  built  at 
very  little  more  cost.  Where  lumber  is  cheap  they  may  be  built  at  less  than  mine  cost.  We 
may  have  cheap  warm  houses  as  well  as  cheap  cold  ones,  but  always,  and  for  all  poultrymen, 
I  am  an  advocate  of  cheap  low  cost  poultry  houses,  and  this  for  two  good  reasons: — 

(1).    Because  every  dollar  unnecessarily  tied  up  in  buildings  is  a  handicap  on  the  profitable 
operation  of  the  plant. 

(2).    Because  costly  expensive  buildings  always  seem  to  me  inappropriate  for  live  stock. 

If  a  man  wants  to  build  expensive  poultry  houses,  I  feel  that  it  is  belter  he  should  look  else- 
where for  the  expensive  features  at  least.  The  plain,  simple  plans  I  give  will,  of  course,  work 
just  as  well  if  worked  out  in  more  expensive  material,  and  if  that  is  all  that  is  wanted,  an 
architect's  or  builder's  services  are  more  useful  at  that  stage  than  those  of  a  poultryman  —  pro- 
vided always  the  builder  or  architect  does  not  make  some  change  to  suit  his  ideas  of  what  is 
correct  from  his  point  of  view,  but  wrong  from  a  poultryman's.  That  is  the  point  to  guard 
against  when  professional  builders  begin  to  improve  the  plans  of  poultrymen. 

So  because  the  great  majority  of  readers  of  these  lessons  want  to  build  economically,  as  well 
as  because  I  have  myself  no  interest  iii'costly  hen  houses,  I  will  introduce  into  these  lessons  no 
plans  of  poultry  houses  having  features  which  poultrymen  generally  would  agree  were  super- 
fluous, or  calling  for  expenditure  which  would  be  commonly  considered  extravagant. 

In  presenting  the  following  plans  1  will  give  the  descriptions  as  furnished  with  the  plans, 
except  where  it  is  as  well  to  condense;  and  where  there  seems  to  be  occasion  for  comment  on  a 
plan  or  statement,  will  make  such  comment  immediately  after. 


78  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    FOUL  Tin'    KEEPING. 

A  New  Jersey  Farmer's  House  for  Twenty=five  Fowls. 

Grant  Davis,   Whitehouse,  N.  J. 

Of  plans  of  hen  houses  there  are  no  end.  Many  are  good,  but  many  more  fail  as  to  the  two 
main  points  of  a  good  poultry  house:  First,  dry ness  ;  and  second,  a  plain,  smooth  interior 
surface.  I  have  tried  various  kinds,  but  have  settled  upon  the  following  plan,  which,  I  think, 
meets  the  requirements  of  a  first  class  house,  at  the  same  time  being  plain  and  economical. 

I  build  for  poultry  on  the  larm,  and  make  the  houses  12  ft.  by  18  ft.  or  21  ft.,  for  accommo' 
dating  forty  to  fifty  hens.  For  twenty-five  hens  the  house  may  be  built  in  identically  the  same 
way,  and  smaller  in  proportion.  As  estimates  of  costs  are  wanted,  I  will  make  my  figures  on  a 
building  9  ft.  by  12  ft.  In  height  it  is  (i  ft.  at  the  buck  and  8  ft.  In  front,  with  a  roof  of  one 
slope.  Pillars  are  set  in  the  ground  for  a  foundation  and  to  receive  sills  4  x  5  In.  in  size.  The 
enclosure  is  of  novelty  siding  or  ship  lap,  and  is  boarded  horizontally.  The  studding  are  2 
inches  square,  and  placed  18  inches  apart.  The  roof  is  sheathed  with  second  class  lumber,  and 
covered  with  rooting  paper  or  ruberoid. 

To  have  a  hen  house  that  is  always  dry  it  is  necessary  to  have  double  walls  with  an  air  space 
between.  W  i  t  h  a  single  en- 
closure moisture  will  sometimes 
be  condensed  upon  the  walls, 
and  at  times  will  make  the 
house  damp  in  spite  of  any- 
thing that  can  be  done.  A 
damp  house,  whether  it  comes 
from  a  leaky  roof,  condensed 
air  moisture,  or  capillary  water 
from  a  ground  floor,  will  soon 


take  the  profits  out  of  the 
winter  egg  business.  A  double 
enclosure  also  gives  greater 
warmth,  as  the  dead  air  space, 
being  a  non-conductor  of  heat, 
serves  to  prevent  its  escape  at 
night.  The  added  cost  of  this 
kind  of  building,  as  ordinarily 
made,  is  against  it,  but,  as  here 
constructed,  the  cost  is  not  much 
increased. 


* 


Ground  Plan  of  Mr.  Davis'  Puultry  House. 

D,  Droppings  boards.  R,  R,  Roosts. 
The  building  having  been  made  as  described,  the  inner  wall  is  made  by  simply  nailing  on  to 
the  studding  a  stiff  building  paper,  something  strong  that  the  fowls  cannot  pick  to  pieces,  and 
that  will  take  whitewash  readily.  As  this  generally  comes  36  inches  in  width,  and  enough  more 
to  allow  for  lap,  I  have  put  my  studding  the  proper  distance  to  receive.  The  ceiling  is  also 
covered  in  the  same  way.  Where  the  lap  comes  a  liberal  application  of  coal  tar  is  made,  so 
that  on  the  whole  interior  surface  of  the  house  there  will  be  no  hiding  place  for  lice  or  mites. 
The  ease  with  which  such  a  house  can  be  whitewashed  is  a  strong  point  in  its  favor. 

After  the  interior  covering  is  put  on,  a  panel  of  1  x  3  in.  boards  is  nailed  all  around  the  inside 
about  4  ft.  from  the  floor  to  hold  the  roosting  poles  and  to  receive  the  nails  on  which  hang  the 
movable  nesting  boxes.  The  roosting  poles,  two  in  number,  will  extend  across  the  narrow 
way  of  the  house,  and  the  space  beneath  them  is  cut  off  from  the  remaining  floor  space  by  a 
board.  Straw  is  kept  here,  and  the  droppings  are  occasionally  dusted  with  land  plaster  to 
keep  down  odors,  as  they  are  not  removed  oftener  than  once  or  twice  every  month. 

There  are  no  droppings  boards,  no  rows  of  nests  buiit  to  the  walls,  in  fact,  nothing  but 
what  can  be  easily  removed  when  the  time  comes  for  the  semiannual  whitewashing. 

I  do  not  put  in  board  floors  on  account  of  extra  cost.  The  ground  within  the  building  is 
graded  up  eight  or  ten  inches  higher  than  that  outside,  and  the  surface  is  covered  loosely  with 
any  old  boards  —  discarded  weather  boarding  is  good— and  then  sand  is  hauled  in  to  the  depth 


FIRST    LESS  ON  X    IN    FOUL  THY    KEEPING. 


79 


of  three  Inches.  The  floor  is 
then  always  dry  and  warm, 
with  a  wallowing  place,  and 
grit  always  handy. 

The  plan  of  the  southern 
front  shows  the  arrangement 
of  doors  and  window.  The 
door  is  made  of  good  width, 
so  that  wheelbarrow  or  cart 
can  pass  through  when  clean- 
ing  the  house.  From  12  to  16 
sq.  ft.  of  glass  is  sufficient  for 
a  house  of  this  size.  Too 
much  glass  is  a  mistake,  as  it 
makes  the  room  overly  hot  in 
the  daytime,  and  too  cold  at 
night,  as  the  heat  at  night 
quickly  passes  out  through  a 


Front  Elevation  of  Mr.  Davis"1  Poultry  House, 

glass  surface.     It  is    well  to  have  a   shutter  of  boards   to  close  at  night. 

It  is  useless  to  have  a  whole  glass  front  in  order  to  make  summer  time  in  the  house  in 
January.  To  do  this,  the  building  must  be  kept  tight,  and,  with  foul  air,  hot  and  humid  by 
day,  and  damp  and  cold  at  night,  there  will  soon  be  work  for  the  poultry  undertaker. 

No  scratching  sheds  are  thought  necessary  for  poultry  houses  on  the  farm.  The  interior 
wire  door  is  closed,  and  the  outer  door  thrown  open,  and  the  house  is  turned  into  a  scratching 
shed.  Fresh  air  is  thereby  introduced  into  the  house,  and  the  dust  which  the  industrious  hens 
stir  up  has  a  tendency  to  discourage  lice  and  mites  on  the  house  walls  and  fixtures,  as  well  as 
on  the  fowls  themselves. 
Following  is  an  estimate  of  cost  of  house  as  described  9  ft.  x  12  ft. : 

Sills,  4x5,  $1  50 

Studding,  2x2,  2  00 

12  rafters,  2x4,  1  50 

260  ft.  siding,  8  00 

500  ft.  roofing  and  interior  sheathing,  5  00 

Windows,  2  50 

Doors,  etc.,  1  00 


—    $21  50 


Let  the  reader  consider  this  plan  in  the  light 
of  the  two  points  Mr.  Davis  states  as  of  most 
importance — dryness,  and  a  smooth  interior 
surface.  He  considers  the  double  wall  with 
air  space  between  essential  to  a  dry  house,  but 
it  is  probable  that  his  houses  of  this  type  have 
been  dry  because  well  ventilated,  rather  than 
because  of  construction.  We  may  reasonably 
infer  from  his  last  paragraph  that  he  appre- 
ciates the  value  of  fresh  air  in  the  poultry 
house,  and  takes  the  necessary  means  to  have 
it  there. 

The  proposition  of  the  relation  of  construc- 
tion to  dryness  in  the  house  may  be  put  in 
this  way : — 

A  double  walled  house  properly   venti- 
lated will  keep  dry. 


End  Elevation  o/  Mr.  Davis*  Poultry  House. 


80  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 

A  double  walled  house  not  properly  ventilated  will  not  be  dry,  but   will  collect  moist- 
ure on  walls  and  ceiling  just  as  a  single  walled  house  would  under  the  same  conditions. 

The  conclusion  then  is  unavoidable  that  dryness  in   a  house  depends  upon  ventilation 
rather  than  upon  the  construction  of  the  walls. 

In  this  connection  I  may  appropriately  refer  to  the  occasional  practice  of  filling  or  partly 
tilling  the  space  above  the  level  of  the  eaves,  in  a  house  with  double  pitch  roof,  with  hay  or 
straw  lying  on  a  floor  with  wide  spaces  between  the  boards.  By  this  means  the  house  is  kept 
dry  without  being  opened,  but  whether  the  requisite  amount  of  pure  air  is  introduced  is 
doubtful.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  is  not,  except  in  cases  where  the  loft  overhead  is  open. 
and  in  such  cases  it  is  open  to  question  whether  it  would  not  be  better  to  leave  the  hay  out 
and  ventilate  through  the  lower  windows  and  doors. 

In  connection  with  the  use  of  building  paper  to  line  the  building  arises  the  question  of  its 
durability,  and  especially  of  the  effect  upon  it  of  repeated  whitewashings,  and  this  is  a  question 
upon  which  we  have  no  authoritative  information  available. 

The  only  other  points  in  connection  with  this  plan  seeming  to  call  for  comment  are  in  regard 
to  the  method  of  making  the  floor,  and  the  rated  capacity  of  the  house. 

I  do  not  know  where  the  advantage  comes  in  in  putting  a  loose  board  floor  over  the  filled 
floor  before  covering  with  sand.  Generally  speaking,  it  is  better  to  have  floors  so  constructed 
that  they  furnish  no  harbor,  under  boards  or  cement,  for  rats  and  mice.  While  I  cannot  show 
it  to  l)e  true  beyond  a  doubt  I  think  that  it  will  be  found  by  those  who  take  notice  of  the  matter 
that,  broadly  speaking,  poultrymen  who  use  houses  set  right  on  ground  that  can  be  dug  up  if 
necessary  are  much  less  troubled  with  rats  and  mice  than  those  who  try  to  build  to  keep  them 
out  of  the  houses.  In  other  words,  the  more  practical  way  of  dealing  with  such  pests,  as  well 
as  with  lice,  seems  to  be  to  so  build  the  houses  that  it  is  easy  to  get  at  them  in  their  harboring 
places. 

While  rated  as  having  capacity  for  25  fowls,  this  house,  the  dimensions  of  which  are  9  x  12, 
giving  a  floor  area  of  108  sq.  ft.,  is  a  little  small  for  that  number. 


A  flaine  Poultryman's  Favorite  Poultry  House. 

J.  C.  Puttison,  Kennebunk,  Me. 

In  describing  our  ideas  of  the  best  plain  poultry  bouse  for  twenty-five  fowls,  we  are  giving 
practically  the  plans  of  a  house  which  we  have  built  and  used  a  sufficient  time  to  prove  its 
worth.  The  house  referred  to,  however,  has  two  pens,  and  is  used  during  the  breeding  season 
for  breeders.  In  our  description,  therefore,  we  are  describing  to  all  intents  and  purposes  one 
pen  in  this  house. 

Requirements. 

What  are  the  requisites  of  a  good  plain  poultry  house? 

Neatness  and  simplicity  of  design, 
Economy  and  durability  of  construction, 
Convenience  of  equipment, 
Proper  hygienic  conditions, 

Would  seem  to  cover  the  requirements,  and  we  shall  proceed  to  describe  a  house  whic'i 
embodies  these  requisites. 

Specifications. 

Single  pitch  roof— no  sills  or  plates  used. 

Dimensions,  15  ft.  long,  10£  ft.  wide,  1  ft.  high  front,  5  ft.  rear. 
Openings,  four  six-light  sash  10  x  14  in.  glass.    Door,  2^  x  5£  ft. 
Sheathing,  rough  boards  covered  with  sheathing  and  roofing  pupnr. 

Interior.— Roosting  box  9  x  3  ft.  Bank  of  nests  18  in.  above  floor.  Hopper  for  grit  and 
•yster  shells.  Shelf  for  water  pan,  feed  box.  Dirt  floor. 


FIUST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 
Construction. 


81 


Hoof. — In  the  low  single  roofed  house  we  have  the  warmest  construction  obtainable  at  a 
minimum  of  expense  iu  building,  and  overcome  any  objection  that  there  may  be  on  the  score  of 
poor  ventilation  by  cu'rtains  in  front  of  roosts  and  at  certain  windows. 

Framing.— The  studs  are  toe  nailed  directly  to  posts  set  into  the  ground  18  in.,  and  project- 
ing 6  in.  above  ground,  and  the  rafters  are  nailed  directly  to  top  of  studs,  which  are  cut  at  the 
right  level  to  fit  them,  thus  doing  away  with  sills  and  plates.  This  construction  gives  ample 
strength  for  buildings  of  this  class.  The  front  studs  are  spaced  to  take  in  the  three  windows 
shown  in  cut>  Fig.  1,  about  2  ft.  10  in.  apart,  which  allows  windows  to  slide  vertically  between 
studs.  This  also  establishes  the  spacing  of  rafters  and  rear  studs  at  2  ft.  10  in. 

Dimensions.  —The  ground  dimensions,  15  x  10£  ft.,  gives  a  pen  of  sufficient  size  for  twenty- 
five  fowls,  and  lumber  will  cut  to  good  advantage.  The  height,  7  ft.  front,  5  ft.  rear,  is  suffi- 
cient for  doing  the  work,  while  contributing  greatly  to  the  warmth,  and  lessening  the  expense 
over  higher  studding. 

Windows.— Four  six-light  sash,  three  in  front  and  one  in  opposite  end  to  door,  are  sufficient 

for  light  and  ventilation.  These  are  arranged  to  slide 
up  and  down  readily,  and  should  be  open  a  part  of 
each  day.  For  these  window  spaces  also  we  should 
have  at  least  two  frames  same  size  as  sash  covered 
with  cotton  cloth  to  slip  in  in  place  of  glass  on  stormy 
days,  to  give  ventilation  and  keep  out  snow  and  rain. 
Sliding  frames  are  preferable  to  those  hinged  at  the 
top  for  window  openings,  as  the  latter  catch  dust 
when  up,  which  excludes  light.  For  our  part  we 
use  no  glass  at  all  in  our  laying  houses,  (except  in  a 
house  for  breeders,  and  this  only  to  protect  combs 
of  males),  but  rely  on  curtains  entirely.  In  summer, 
.  with  front  and  end  windows  out  and  slat  door,  the 

Vt 

§   house  will  cool  perfectly  on  hottest  nights. 

Floor.— For  almost  all  locations,  or  on  practically 
^   all  land  suitable  for  fowls,  a  dirt  floor  is  far  superior 
|  to  one  of  boards  or  other  material.    The  building 
^   should  be  filled  in  several  inches  higher  than  ground 
J5  outside,  with  fine  dry  dirt.    A  dirt  floor  furnishes 
s  the  best  possible  absorbent  for  droppings,  and  con- 
*  tributes  greatly  to  the  health  of  the  fowls— a  dusting 
|j  medium  which  the  fowls  may  use  at  will  —  a  good 
•£>  foundation  for  litter,  and  the  labor  of  removing  dirt 
1  and  replacing  with  fresh  each  spring  and  fall,  is  less 
fel  than  keeping  a  board    floor  properly  clean,  to  say 
1  nothing  of  the   high   fertilizing  value  of    the  dirt 
^   removed,  which  is  fined  up  ready  for  use. 
^       Covering.  —  The  sheathing,  being  covered  with 
paper,  may  be  of  unplaned  lumber,  if  cheaper,  and 
the  bottom  courses  should  be  of  hemlock,  which  will 
last  longest  when  in  contact  with  the  earth.    The 
sheathing  runs  lengthwise  of  the  building;  a  sheath- 
ing paper  is  used  to  increase  the  warmth,  and   in 
laying  work  should  be  begun  from    the  opposite 
end  of  building  from  that  used  in  beginning  to  lay 
the  roofing  proper  in  order  to  break  joints  with  the 
roofing  and  render  the  building  warmer  and  more 
wind   proof.    A  very  good  way  to  lay  the  paper  is 
to  run  the  strips  from  the  ground  or  windows  in 
front  up  over  the  roof  and  down  to  the  ground  in 


FIB  XT    LE  IS  SONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 


back  in  one  piece,  which  saves  material  and  insures  tightness.    Batten  of  ihch  pine  laid  two 
strips  to  a  width  of  paper  holds  the  covering  best,  although  tins  will  do. 

Interior.— -In  cut,  Fig.  2,  the  interior  arrangements  are  shown.  The  roosting  box,  with 
board  1  ft.  high  at  bottom  to  keep  litter  on  main  floor,  is  9  ft.  x  3  ft.,  giving  space  for  18ft. 
of  roost,  and  has  cloth  covered  frame  hinged  at  top  to  let  down  in  extreme  weather  and  still 
permit  fresh  air  to  reach  the  fowls  through  cloth.  The  cut  shows  no  droppings  board,  but 
merely  the  dirt  floor  at  the  bottom;  this  is  by  all  odds  the  best  arrangement,  (we  are 
using  both  methods,  and  know)  doing  away  with  the  unsanitary  board,  an  abomination  as 
usually  taken  care  of.  A  few  shovelsful  of  earth  occasionally  thrown  in  the  bottom  of  this 
box  will  keep  everything  in  good  sanitary  condition  for  several  weeks  without  cleaning  out. 

Those  who  prefer  the  board, 
however,  may  put  it  in. 
Roosts  are  2x3  in.  scant- 
lings, 18  in.  from  ground. 

The  nests    shown   in  the 
cut  are  up  off  the  floor  show- 
ing floor  space,  and  giving  a 
<^  secluded  dark  nest,  which  is 
4  »"   advantage  when  an  egg 
^  eater    develops;    they    are 
I   more  easily  reached  by  the 
•«   attendant    than     the  "  soap 
£5   box  in  the  corner,"  although 
•v   the  latter   is  not  to  be  de- 
«,   spised.     These  nests  are  set 
^  upon  a  shelf  run    between 
the  end    of    roost  box  and 
•3  end  of  house  2  ft.  wide,  and 
18  in.   above  floor.      The 
cover,  the    lower  half  of 
which  is  hinged,  should  have 
slant   enough    to  make   it 
objectionable   as    a  roosting 
place. 

The  hoppers  for  grit  and 
oyster  shells  speak  for  them- 
selves.  For  a  feed  box  we 
prefer  one  made  by  using  a 
board  10  in.  wide  by  2  ft. 
long  with  strips  6  in.  wide 
nailed  to  its  edges,  the  strips 
to  be  n  piled  from  their 
centers,  thus  making  in 
effect  a  box  3  in.  deep 
whichever  side  is  up.  By 
simply  turning  it  half  over, 
a  clean  side  presents  itself. 
Mash  may  be  poured  from  a 
|  pail  into  a  box  of  these 
dimensions  easier  than  into 
a  V  trough.  In  conclusion 
let  us  say  that  there  is  no 
condition  met  by  a  scratch- 
ing shed  house, or  any  other 
kind  of  house,  that  this  house 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  83 

properly  Used  (and  with  plenty  of  scratching  material)  will  not  meet  also.  The  windows  are 
intended  to  be  open  every  day  in  the  year.  If  it  snows,  slip  in  the  cloth  covered  frames 
described,  but  give  the  fowls  fresh  air  at  any  and  all  times  day  and  nigh-t  through  their  cur- 
tains, and  don't  have  a  droppings  board  six  inches  from  their  noses. 

Note:— Our  healthiest  and  best  layers  }ast  winter,  when  the  thermometer  went  to  20°  below- 
zero  on  several  occasions,  were  housed  without  using  a  single  square  of  glass,  just  the  two  sets 
of  curtains.  If  this  be  true  in  this  latitude  it  should  be  in  almost  any. 

Materials. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  materials  required ,  with  prices : 

3  pieces  2  x  4  22  ft.  long  for  rafters,  44  sq.  ft.  makes  2  each. 

8  pieces  2  x  3  10  ft.  long  for  studs,  40  sq.  ft.  front  and  rear  stud  each. 

S4  sq.  ft.,®  $20  M.,  $1  68 

16  cedar  posts,  2  ft.  long,  75 

500  sq.  ft.  12  ft.  boards,  $17  M.,  8  50 

4  windows,  6  light  10  x  14  glass,  60c.  each,  2  40 

Nails,  hinges,  etc.,  90 

1  roll  sheathing  paper,  500  sq.  ft.,  1  00 

1  roll  red  rope  roofing  paper,  500  sq.  ft.,  5  00 


Total,  $20  23 

J* 

In  the  matter  of  roofing  material  opinions  differ  widely;  some  would  prefer  to  use  a  more 
expensive  material  than  the  above.  In  that  case  a  lighter  weight  can  be  used  for  the  sides  than 
for  roof,  which  will  effect  a  saving  in  the  class  of  material  referred  to,  which  runs  from  $1.75 
for  one-half  ply  to  $3.25  for  four  ply  per  square  of  100  ft.  The  red  rope,  however,  will  last 
several  years,  properly  laid,  and  if  painted  will  last  longer. 

We  have  then  a  house  for  25  fowls  costing  little  more  than  $20  for  material,  which  is  "good 
enough"  for  the  purpose,  and  fulfills  all  the  requisites  cited  in  the  beginning  of  this  article. 


My  first  criticism  on  this  house  plan  would  be  as  to  dimensions  of  the  floor.  If  we  admit  as 
correct  the  proposition  laid  down  in  Lesson  VIII.,  that  the  floor  should  be  as  nearly  square  as 
possible,  the  house  10  ft.  wide  by  15  ft.  long  is  getting  a  little  too  far  away  from  our  standard. 

Under  some  circumstances  I  would  criticise  the  form  of  the  roof,  but  in  a  house  as  narrow  as 
this  the  objections  which  may  sometimes  be  made  to  a  single  pitched  roof  with  northern 
exposure  lose  much  of  their  force;  and  though  observation  of  houses  I  used  myself  has  seemed 
to  indicate  to  me  that  as  a  general  rule  a  double  pitch  roof  was  more  satisfactory,  I  would  not 
care  to  dogmatize  on  that  point,  and  have  my  judgment  on  it  judged  by  the  experiences  of 
others,  because  points  like  that  are  difficult  to  determine  beyond  doubt. 

One  thing,  however,  should  be  emphasized  :  Whoever  adopts  this  plan  must  consider  the 
effect  before  making  changes  in  the  dimensions.  Mr.  Pattison  figured  out  dimensions  that  keep 
him  clear  of  faults  which  would  be  pronounced  in  a  house  of  the  same  style  with  some  other 
dimensions.  If  such  a  house  is  made  12  ft.  wide,  the  front  wall  must  be  higher,  or  the  rear 
wall  lower,  or  both,  and  the  rafters  for  a  single  stretch  of  roof  become  longer  than  is  advisable 
for  a  roof  with  no  supports  under  it. 

The  enclosed  roosting  box  I  would  consider  unnecessary,  except  perhaps  to  protect  large 
combs,  and  I  am  not  sure  that  it  is  necessary  for  that  for  fowls  that  are  thoroughly  rugged. 


Another  Maine  Poultry  House. 

Martin  Ryan,  Baring,  Me. 

Although  In  this  plan  there  may  be  nothing  new,  for  a  plain  substantial  poultry  house  that  is 
warm,  dry,  and  light,  there  is  nothing  better.    The  plan  is  for  a  house  12  x  16  ft.,  but  it  can  be 


84 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULT.  RY    KEEPING. 


built  any  length.  The  bouse  is  4  ft.  high  at  back,  as  low  at  side,  and  6£  ft.  at  front  side,  with 
long  and  short  pitched  roof.  It  is  plenty  high  enough  for  a  man  to  stand  inside  back  as  far  as 
the  droppings  board  without  stooping. 

The  house  rests  on  ten  cedar  posts  that  are  set  in  the  ground  three  feet,  and  extend  above  the 
ground  eight  inches.  One  post  goes  to  each  corner;  two  at  equal  distances  apart  under  the 
front  and  back  sills,  and  one  under  the  center  of  each  end  sill.  The  posts  are  lined  off  level  at 
top,  and  the  4  x  4  sills  spiked  on  top  of  the  posts.  The  frame  is  2  x  4  spruce.  The  studs  and 
rafters  are  two  feet  apart,  and  the  house  is  boarded  tight  down  to  the  ground  with  rough 
boards,  and  roof,  ends,  and  sides  covered  outside  the  boarding  with  good  sheathing  paper,  and 
shingled  with  cedar  shingles  laid  five  inches  to  the  weather. 

Inside  between  the  sills  is  filled  In  with  small  stone  to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight  inches,  and 
covered  with  gravel  or  sand  level  with  top  of  sills ;  this  will  bring  the  floor  up  enough  so  it  will 
be  perfectly  dry,  and  the  fowls  will  always  have  a  dust  bath  in  the  sand  and  gravel  of  the  floor. 

The  high  side  of  the  house  should  face  the  south  or  southwest,  and  have  two  windows  fifteen 
lights  each  of  8  x  10  glass.  The  windows  are  hung  on  hinges,  and  swing  inside,  and  when 
these  windows  are  swung  open  on  bright  sunny  days  the  house  is  turned  into  a  partial  open 
scratching  shed.  The  house  can  be  divided  with  wire  partition  and  frame  door  covered  with 
wire  hung  on  spring  hinges.  This  will  give  two  pens  that  are  very  convenient  if  more  than  one 
variety  is  kept,  or  when  sorting  fowls  for  breeding. 

The  roosts  are  at  the  low  side  of  the  house.  The  droppings  boards  are  put  up  two  feet  from 
the  sill,  and  the  cleats  that  the  roosts  rest  upon  are  six  inches  higher  than  the  droppings  boards. 
The  roosts  are  2x4,  the  length  of  eacli  pen,  two  roosts  to  a  pen.  They  are  ten  inches  from  the 
wall  and  fifteen  inches  apart.  The  droppings  boards  are  three  feet  wide. 

The  nests  are  under  the  droppings  boards,  and  are  14  x  14  inches  wide  by  12  inches  deep; 
they  fit  up  against  the  droppings  boards,  leaving  a  space  of  one  foot  under  them  so  the  fowls 
have  th'e  entire  floor  to  roam  and  scratch  in.  These  nests  are  no.t  nailed  in  place,  but  slide  in 
on  cleats;  they  are  made  in  one  long  box  divided  in  four  nests,  each  with  a  four  inch  board  at 
back  to  hold  the  straw  that  the  nests  are  made  of.  The  front  of  the  nest  is  a  four  and  an 
eighth  inch  board.  The  wide  board  is  hinged  and  drops  down  so  the  eggs  can  be  gathered  from 
the  front.  The  back  of  the  nest  is  provided  with  a  four  inch  board  for  the  hens  to  step  upon 
when  entering  the  nest.  These  nests  are  retired  and  dark  enough  so  there  is  no  danger  of  egg 
eating. 

The  wall  back  of  the  roost  from  the  droppings  board  up  to  plate,  and  the  roof  up  to  a  line 
even  with  the  outer  edge  of  droppings  boards  is  double  boarded  and  stuffed  with  dry  sawdust. 

My  house  that  is  built  on  this  plan  is  forty  feet  long,  and  I  find  it  just  the  thing.  I  like  it 
better  every  year;  better  than  any  other  house  that  I  have  yet  seen.  There  is  no  space  taken 
up  for  walk  or  nests.  The  house  is  built  for  hens,  and  the  entire  floor  space  is  given  to  them. 

With  the  short  and  long  roof  - — 
you  get  a  house  high  enough  to 
work  in  without  danger  of  head 
bumps;  while  with  the  single 
pitched  roof  the  walls  would 
have  to  be  much  higher  to  get 
the  same  room  at  low  side  of 
house,  and,  therefore,  much 
colder.  The  high  side  of  this 
house  faces  the  south,  giving 
room  for  high  windows,  and 
giving  larger  area  of  building 
the  benefit  of  the  sun  in  the 
short  winter  days  when  it  is  so 
much  needed.  In  my  house  the 
windows  are  open  every  day, 
except  when  the  enow  blows 
In,  and  I  am  never  troubled 
with  colds  or  roup  among  my 


Ground    Plan    of    Mr.    Ryan's    J/ouxe. 
D,  door,   W,  window,  d,  dropping  boards,   r  r,  roosts. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    IOULTRY    KEEPING. 


85 


hens.  They  are  as 
healthy  and  vigorous  a 
lot  of  fowls  as  you  can 
find  any  where.  I  keep 
the  floor  well  covered 
with  litter  In  which  I 
scatter  grain,  and  the 
fowls  will  scratch  and 
dig  and  sing  all  day 
long  as  happy  and  con- 
tented as  if  they  were 
in  my  wife's  flower 
beds  in  June. 
<# 

This  house  I  would 
rate  as  having  a  capa- 
city of  12  hens  to  a 
pen,  in  all  24  hens.  At 
a  pinch  it  might  be 
used  for  a  few  more 


Outfide  Front  and  Inside  Rack  oj  M<\  Ryan's  Poultry  House. 
N,  nests,   e,  entrance  to  nests,    d,    droppings  boards,   r  r,  roosts, 
but   with  the  droppings  boards  extending  3   ft.  from    the  north 
wall,  and  the  nests  under  them  the  floor  space  for  use  in  the  house  is  hardly  more  than  8x9  ft., 
or  72  sq.  ft. 

Bill  of  Lumber. 

Sills,  2  pieces  4  x  4, 16  ft.  long. 

Sills,  2  pieces  4  x  4, 12  ft.  long. 

Studding,  9  pieces,  2  x  4,  6  ft  4  in.  long. 

Studding,  9  pieces,  2  x  4,  3  ft.  10  in.  long. 

Plates,  2  pieces,  2  x  4, 16  ft.  long. 

Rafters,  9  pieces,  2  x  4,  9  ft.  6  in.  long. 

Rafters,  9  pieces,  2  x  4,  4  ft.  6  in.  long. 

Collar  beams,  9  pieces,  1  x  4,  6  ft.  long. 

End  and  partition  studs,  4  pieces,  2  x  4,  8  ft.  long. 

In  all — 320  ft.  of  spruce  for  frame,  fa)  $14 

Ten  cedar  posts  3  ft.  8  in.  long,  4  !n.  at  top. 

550  sq.  ft.  of  hemlock  boards,  fa)  $10  per  M., 

150  sq.  ft.  of  matched  boards,  fa)  $16  per  M., 

30  sq.  ft.  of  furring  4  in.  wide,  fa)  $14  per  M., 

40  sq.  ft.  of  furring  5  in.  wide,  fab  $14  per  M., 
5  M.  shingles,  fa)  $1.50  per  M., 

30  Ihs.  of  nails,  (8)  4c.  per  lb., 
3  rolls  of  sheathing  paper,  (a)  50c.  per  roll, 

10  cedar  posts,  (cb  5c.  each, 
Hinges  and  latch, 


$448 

5  50 

2  40 

42 

56 

7  50 

1  20 

1  50 

50 

50 


These  are  the  prices  that  rule  in  this  vicinity. 

While  not  disposed  to  quarrel  with  those  who  use  and  prefer  them,  the  arrangement  of  nests 

under  droppings  boards  never  suited  me,  even 
when  I  used  droppings  boards  in  the  poultry 
houses.  The  nest  arrangement  I  like  best  for 
laying  hens  is  an  open  nest  to  hang  on  the 
wall.  This  will  be  described  in  connection 
with  other  nests  in  a  subsequent  lesson. 

As  the  reader  may  infer  from  a  comparison 
of  this  with  my  own  plans,  the  packed  wall 
and  roof  back  of  and  above  the  fowls  is  a 
feature  I  consider  unnecessary.  During  this 
last  winter  I  have  had  one  pen  of  hens  that 
had  a  shed  full  ef  leaves  back  of  it,  but  I 

/£  ft.  could  not  see  that  they  were  better  off  than  the 

Cross    Section  of  Mr.  Ryan's  Poultry  House,      hens  that  had  but  one  thickness  of  boards. 


86  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

A    House   With    Single    Pitched    Roof   Sloping   South. 

E.  A.   O'Brien,  South  Dennis,  Mass. 

This  is  a  10  x  15  ft.  house;  7  ft.  back;  4  ft.  front,  facing  south.  The  claim  for  this  house 
te  a  combination  laying  house  and  scratching  shed.  Its  capacity  is  twenty  hens. 

There  are  two  windows  3£  x  4  ft.  in  front,  which  are  hinged  at  top,  and  opening  inward, 
held  up  by  a  hook  from  roof,  wire  netting  on  outside  of  casing,  so  that  in  all  stormy  days 
these  windows  can  be  opened,  and  the  fowls  have  plenty  of  good  fresh  air  with  no  drafts. 
Ttese  windows  are  placed  at  the  west  end  of  the  front  of  the  house,  one  foot  apart, 
leaving  a  space  of  six  feet  at  the  east  end  for  laying  and  roosting  room  not  partitioned  off. 

The  droppings  board  is  3  x  6  ft.,  and  on  hinges  which  can  be  made  at  any  blacksmith's 
shop  —  a  four  inch  eye  threaded  —  which  is  screwed  into  the  corner  upright,  and  into  another 
upright  six  feet  away;  the  hinge  is  made  with  an  "L"  to  fit  the  eye,  rounded.  The 
roosts  are  made  of  three  inch  furring  —  two  pieces  6  ft.  long,  14  in.  apart,  and  two  pieces 
2£  ft.  long — and  put  on  hinges  the  same  as  the  droppings  board,  and  attached  to  the  same 
uprights,  only  8  in.  above  droppings  board,  which  is  one  foot  above  the  lower  stringer. 


Ground    Plan    of   Mr.    O'BHen's    Poultry    House. 
D,  door;  o,  small  door;  w,  window ;  d,  droppings  board;  r  r,  roosts;  T,  trough  for  droppings;  w,  water  vessel. 

A  flat  trough,  10  in.  wide  and  6  ft.  long,  with  4  in.  ends  and  sides,  is  placed  between  the 
two  uprights  close  to  the  wall;  this  trough  catches  all  the  droppings  as  the  droppings  board 
Is  raised  up  to  the  back  wall  and  hooked  up  out  of  the  way.  With  the  hinges  made  as 
above  mentioned,  the  roosts  and  droppings  board  can  be  unhinged  without  any  trouble,  and 
taken  out  and  cleaned. 

When  going  through  the  house  mornings  to  feed,  it  is  a  matter  of  but  a  minute  to  raise 
roosts  and  droppings  board,  droppings  falling  into  trough  below;  then  when  feeding  at  night 
let  them  down  again  and  sprinkle  a  little  slaked  lime  or  ashes— just  dust— which  absorbs  the 
moisture  from  droppings,  and  they  roll  off  when  the  board  is  raised;  trough  may  be 
cleaned  once  a  week.  Push  wheelbarrow  into  house,  and  as  the  trough  is  wide  enough  to 
admit  a  shovel,  it  takes  but  few  minutes  to  clean  it  out,  again  using  a  sprinkling  of  lime  or 
ashes. 

The  arrangement  of  roosts  and  droppings  boards  gives  the  whole  house  for  a  scratching 
shed.  Put  in  a  foot  of  litter;  throw  grain  in  litter,  and  hens  will  do  the  rest. 

On  extremely  cold  nights  a  curtain  of  burlap  can  be  made  very  cheaply  and  dropped  from 
roof  to  about  six  feet  above  the  droppings  board  ;  the  burlap  is  better  than  cotton  or  duck,  as 
it  is  so  loosely  woven  that  it  does  not  make  a  hot  house  of  the  roosts,  but  allows  a  free  circu- 
lation of  air,  and  yet  gives  the  needed  warmth. 


FIKST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 


87 


The  material  used  in  building  this  house  is  as  follows: — 
5  sticks,  2  x  4  —  15  ft,  long  for  stringers. 
15  sticks,  2x4  —  12  ft.  long  for  roof,  front  and  back  uprights. 
450  feet  hemlock  boards. 

1  roll  Neponset  red  roof  paper. 

2  sash,  3£  x  4  ft. 

3  pair  strap  hinges  for  door  and  windows. 

2  pair  hinges  and  eyes  for  :  oosts  and  droppings  board. 
5  hooks  for  door,  windows,  roosts,  droppings  board. 
1  bundle  laths  for  cleats  for  roof. 

The  price  for  material  differs  so  much  in  different  localities  that  I  will  not  give  prices,  out 
,his  house,  with  lumber  at  $18  per  1,000  ft.,  should  and  can  be  built  for  less  than  $25. 

J* 

As  In  the  case  of  Mr.  Pattison's  house,  we 
have  here  a  plan  in  which  the  dimensions 
minimize  what  1  call  faults  in  the  style  of  the 
house.  In  a  house  with  the  front  only  4  ft. 
high,  the  sun  does  not  get  into  the  house  as  it 
does  with  higher  windows,  while  the  whole 
roof  and  front  being  exposed  to  the  south,  such 
a  house,  unless  very  carefully  ventilated,  warms 
up  too  much  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  and 
cools  too  quickly  after  the  sun  goes  down. 

Though  I  would  not  recommend  this  style  of 
roof  for  a  house  built  where  any  style  of  roof 
J:  might  be  used,  there  are  times  when  it  is  the  best 
style  —  as  when  a  poultry  house  is  to  be  built  as  a 
lean-to  beside  another  building. 

In  a  house  of  this  style  and  dimensions,  I 
think  it  would  be  found  an  advantage  to  put 
.  windows  in  the  ends  as  well  as  in  the  front. 
The  light  would  be  better,  and  the  ventilation 
through  the  windows  could  be  better  worked 
to  offset  the  faults  of  this  style  of  roof. 

The  roosting  arrangement  is  one  that  will 
appeal  to  many. 


A  Neat  House  With  Labor  Cost 
Given. 

A.  T.  Grosvenor,  Abington,  Conn. 

Last  year  I  wintered  three  pens  of  hens  in 
houses  constructed  similar  to  the  accompanying 
plan.  This  plan,  however,  in  order  to  accommo- 
date twenty-five  hens,  is  two  feet  longer  and 
one  foot  wider  than  the  plan  of  the  house  now  in 
lisp.  The  pitch  of  the  roof  on  each  house  is  the 
same,  consequently  the  larger  building  is  some- 
what higher. 

In  regard  to  the  construction,  the  sills  are  3x4 
in.  pieces,  while  the  posts,  plates,  rafters,  etc., 
are  all  2x3  in.  The  frame  is  covered  with 
ploughed  and  matched  pine,  or  barn  boards 
only.  The  roof  is  shingled,  with  no  attempt  to 
have  the  roof  boards  tit  closely  ;  in  fact,  on  the 


88 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY 


KEEPING. 

The  eight  inch  jet  Is  of 


four  houses  which  I  have,  the  roof  boards  are  nearly  two  inches  apart. 
course  unnecessary,  but  I  think  it  adds  considerable  to  the  appearance. 

For  light  there  are  two  windows  with  double  sashes,  each  sash  having  two  12  x  16  inch  panes 
One  or  both  of  these  windows  is  opened  a  part  of  each  day,  the  time  determined  by  the  tem 
peratur'e  and  condition  of  the  weather.  The  floor  of  each  pen  is  sand  and  gravel. 


Sills. 


Materials  and   Labor. 

FRAME. 

2  pieces    3  x  4  in.  12  ft.  long,  24  sq.  ft. 
1  piece      3x4  in.  16  ft.  long,  16  sq.  ft. 

3  pieces    2  x  3  in.  16  ft.  long,  24  sq.  ft. 
16  pieces    2  x  3  in.  12  ft.  long,  96  sq.  ft. 


$22.50  per  M., 


160  sq.  ft. 


BOARDS,  ETC. 


154  sq.  ft.  roof  boards,  14  ft.  long,  fa)  $20  per  M., 
192  sq.  ft.  barn  boards,  16  ft.  long,  ©  $30  per  M., 
168  sq.  ft.  barn  boards,  12  ft.  long, 

9  pieces  square  edge  pine,  4  in.  wide,  12  ft.  long,  fS>  $30  per  M., 

3  pieces  square  edge  pine,  4  in.  wide,  14  ft.  long, 
1250  shingles,  (8>  $4  per  M., 

2  windows, 

Nails,  hinges,  thumb  latch,  etc., 

Labor, 

Total, 


$3  60 


3  08 
5  76 
5  04 

1  08 
42 

5  00 

2  20 
1  00 
7  50 

$34  68 


In  this  plan  we  get  away,  a  little,  from  the  severely  plain  and  simple  construction  of  the 
other  plans  given,  and  get  a  build- 
ing somewhat  more  sightly,  a 
point  which  sometimes  has  to 
be  considered  if  a  poultry  house 
is  so  placed  with  reference  to  other 
buildings  that  an  extremely  plain 
one  would  mar  the  general  effect. 

The  one  point  which  seems  to 
me  especially  to  call  for  criticism 
is  the  leaving  a  space  between 
the  sheathing  on  the  roof.  Most 
of  my  houses  are  built  that  way, 
but  I  would  not  build  another 
without  laying  the  roof  sheathing 
close.  The  increase  of  cost  is 
comparatively  trifling,  and  the 
gain  in  looks,  and  a  smooth  sur- 
face to  whitewash  is  considerable. 

As  with  some  of  the  other 
plans  given,  the  capacity  of  this 
house  is  rated  rather  high. 
Twenty-five  hens  may  be  kept 
in  it  in  winter,  but  twenty  is 
nearer  right,  and  the  latter 
number  is  the  safer  one  to  use. 


Diagrams    Showing    Ground   Plan   and 
Scale,  i-inch 


•Fill XT    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


89 


Inters  or 
£'*  /*' 


Which    Plan? 

In  the  above  plans,  and  the  two  given  in  the  last  lesson,  readers  have  been  furnished 
plans  for  seven  plain,  good,  and  cheap  poultry  houses  at  low  to  moderate  cost. 

While  I  have  made  some  criticisms  on  the  plans  in  this  lesson,  and  also  indicated  some  faults 
in  construction  of  the  houses  I  built,  I  want  to  impress  it  on  those  studying  these  lessons,  and 
about  to  decide  what  style  of  house  to  build,  that  —  considered  from  the  standpoint  of  practical 
work  —  the  faults  of  these  plans  are  what  we  may  term  secondary  faults.  There  is  nothing  in 
any  of  them,  that  I  can  discover,  that  would  make  it  possible  for  one  using  such  a  house  to 
attribute  poor  results  to  the  house. 

The  matter  of  the  adaptability  of  these  different  plans  to  different  conditions,  and  especially 
to  other  climates,  will  seem  to  many  to  cull  for  consideration.  Many  suppose  —  and  not 
unnaturally  —  that  a  house  suited  to  New  England  conditions  would  not  suit  conditions  in 
Virginia,  Maryland,  Florida,  or  Texas. 

The  more  substantially  and  warmly  built  houses   used  In  northern  states  go  beyond  what 

southern  conditions  re- 
quire in  construction. 
That  they  also  go  beyond 
'what  northern  conditions 
require,  a  great  many  of 
us  believe,  and  are  proving 
our  faith  by  the  style  of 
buildings  we  use.  But  a 
warm,  tight  house  with 
small  openings  which 
might  work  satisfactorily 
in  the  north  —  except  in 
occasional  sultry  weather, 
would  be  unsatisfactory 
in  a  warm  climate.  For 
such  a  climate  an  open 
sht  d  house,  such  as  those 
I  am  using,  is  much  bet- 
ter. However,  from  my 
own  experience  with 
houses  of  different  styles 
In  Colorado,  where  I  have 
seen  colder  weather  than 
In  the  vicinity  of  Boston, 
much  warmer  weather 
than  we  ever  have  here, 
and  more  sudden  changes 
than  I  have  seen  here,  I 
feel  safe  in  recommending 
such  houses  as  I  now  use 
for  any  place  where  shel- 
ter is  required.  As  slight 
in  construction  as  they  can 
be  made  and  have  them 
stand  up  and  stay  together, 
they  still  provide  protec- 
tion from  storms  of  all 
kinds.  The  experience  of 
many  poultry  men  in  differ- 
ent  sections  is  confirming 
this  judgment. 


JJ LL 


_n n 


Framing    oj 
to  the  foot. 


Mr.     Grosvenor's    Mouse. 


90 


FIRST   LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


FIR  1ST   LESSONS    IN    POULT  MY   KEEPING.  91 


LESSON  XI. 


Summer  Management  of  Fowls, 


THIS  subject  naturally  divides  into  two  topics: 
1.—  What  fowls  to  keep, 
l.—  How  to  handle  them  to  best  advantage. 

Both  of  these  topics  have  to  be  considered   with  reference  to  future  as  well    as 
immediate  results. 

Old    Hens  as  Layers. 

In  connection  with  the  question  of  keeping  over  for  another  year  the  hens  now  from  a  year 
to  fifteen  or  sixteen  months  old,  arises  the  old  question  of  the  relative  value  of  pullets  and 
hens  as  egg  producers,  a  question  which  has  provoked  as  much  controversy  and  as  much 
needless  and  pointless  wrangling  as  any  of  the  many  questions  each  swiftly  passing  generation 
of  beginners  in  poultry  culture  has  to  solve  anew  for  itself. 

The  first  cause  of  all  this  trouble  is  in  the  statement  of  the  proposition  —  in  the  attempt  to 
make  an  arbitrary  division  of  fowls  into  profitable  and  unprofitable  producers,  and  make  the 
line  of  separation  at  a  certain  age. 

I  think  it  may  be  truly  said  that  in  no  matter  relating  to  poultry  (or  to  anything  else,  but 
we  have  to  do  only  with  poultry  here),  is  it  possible  to  make  arbitrary  and  sharp  divisions  and 
distinctions  for  certain  alleged  purposes,  and  have  results  as  they  come  justify  the  rules  upon 
which  the  divisions  were  made.  There  is  no  best  breed  of  fowls.  There  is  no  best  method 
of  feeding  or  housing.  We  are  many  men  of  many  minds,  working  under  many  different 
circumstances,  with  stocks  of  fowls  that  have  experienced  many  different  conditions.  So  we 
cannot  all  use  the  same  rules,  nor  will  any  of  us  be  wise  to  make  hard  and  fast  rules  to 
govern  in  the  conduct  of  our  business. 

To  get  back  to  the  main  point.  In  the  discussion  of  question  of  the  relative  laying  qualities 
of  hens  and  pullets,  the  fowls  are  generally  classed  according  to  age  at  the  beginning  of  the 
period  for  which  results  are  to  be  compared,  and  considered  as  in  that  class  throughout  the 
entire  period,  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  pullets  may  pass  the  pullet  age  at  some  time 
within  it.  Properly  designated,  a  pullet  is  a>hen  less  than  a  year  old. 

The  period  for  which  results  are  usually  compared  is  from  the  time  the  first  pullets  begin 
to  lay  — generally  October  or  November  — until  the  next  spring  or  early  summer.  Hence,  in 
euch  comparisons,  no  account,  as  a  rule,  is  taken  of  the  performance  of  the  hen  during 
summer  and  early  fall,  though  it  must  be  evident  to  every  one  that  in  considering  the  question 
at  this  season,  (July  1st),  we  must  consider  what  we  may  get  out  of  the  hens  in  the  four 
months  or  so  before  the  pullets  are  laying,  as  well  as  what  we  may  get  in  the  winter  and 
spring. 

Some  authorities  advise  and  some  poultrymen  make  a  practice  of  disposing  of  laying  stock 


92  .         FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

iu  the  fall  when  the  hens  that  were  pullets  in  the  preceding  winter  are  sixteen  to  eighteen 
mouths  old.  I  think  it  is  much  the  better  way  to  give  the  old  stock  a  general  overhauling 
before  extreme  warm  weather  comes  on,  and  arrange  at  that  time  for  the  most  profitable  dis- 
position of  each  of  the  several  lots  into  which  the  flock  will  be  divided.  When  the  general 
clean  up  Is  to  be  made  in  the  fall  the  tendency  is  to  leave  in  the  flock  many  hens  which  should 
be  disposed  of  without  delay,  the  reason  the  poultryman  gives  himself  for  this  being  that,  as 
the  bulk  of  the  lot  is  to  be  disposed  of  at  that  future  time,  it  makes  little  difference  if  the  few 
uuprofitables  are  allowed  to  remain  in  it.  Consequently  some  proportion  of  the  fowls  in  each 
pen  or  flock  are  non-producers,  adding  nothing  to  the  income,  while  consuming  their  share  of 
the  food,  occupying  room,  taking  time  and  attention  of  the  poultryman,  and,  last  but  not  least, 
adding  to  his  risks  of  loss,  for  the  idle  unproductive  fowl  at  this  season  more,  perhaps,  than 
at  any  other,  is  detrimental  to  the  flock. 

So  it  seems  to  me  that  the  numerous  beginners,  and  others  young  in  the  business,  who  are 
on  their  own  initiative  making  preparations  to  cull  their  hens,  now  show  a  much  better  appre- 
ciation of  the  best  policy  than  do  those  of  longer  experience  who  leave  this  culling  until  the 
summer  is  over. 

As  I  come  in  contact,  personally  and  through  correspondence,  with  the  experiences  of  a 
great  many  poultry  keepers  each  year,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  still  true  as  it  was  in  the 
traditional  times  prior  to  the  improvement  of  breeds  and  of  methods  of  poultry  culture,  that 
most  hens  lay  well  for  only  a  few  months  in  the  spring.  It  seems,  also,  to  be  the  fact  that  a 
great  many  poultrymen  who  get  fair  to  good  egg  yields  iu  winter  and  spring  get  very  poor 
yields  after  the  warm  weather  comes  on.  In  this  fact  we  may  find  one  reason  for  their  prefer- 
ence for  pullets  for  laying  purposes,  and  for  their  failure  to  reckon  summer  and  fall- as  profit- 
able seasons  in  egg  production. 

Certainly  it  does  not  pay  to  keep  hens  over  if  they  are  idle  for  a  period  of  five,  six,  or  seven 
months;  but,  if  we  can  have  our  hens  giving  fair  to  good  egg  yields  through  summer  and  fall, 
and  have  them  idle,  or  nearly  so,  for  but  two  or  three  months,  that  is  the  better  way  to  manage. 
The  question  is :  Can  it  be  done,  and  how? 

Selecting  Hens  to  Keep  Over. 

Let  me  slate  first  of  all  that  it  cannot  be  done  with  all  hens.  In  every  flock  of  yearling  hens 
there  are  some  it  will  not  pay  to  carry  over  —  hens  that  even  at  this  age  have  outlived  their 
usefulness.  The  proportion  of  such  hens  will  depend  on  the  vitality  of  the  stock,  on  its 
general  condition  and  performance  through  the  winter,  and  on  how  well  the  poultry  keeper 
has  succeeded  in  adjusting  food  and  care  to  maintaining  the  hens  in  condition  for  future 
productiveness. 

If  as  the  poultry  keeper  reviews  his  experiences  of  the  past  year  he  recalls  any  of  the  follow, 
ing  things  as  circumstances  in  the  history  of  his  flock  of  yearling  hens,  he  is  warranted  in  con- 
sidering that  an  unusually  large  proportion  of  them  are  not  good  candidates  to  keep  over: — 

1.  If  they  were  not  thrifty  as  young  chicks. 

2.  If  at  any  period  of  growth  they  were  checked. 

3.  If  there  was  at  any  time  during  the  year  any  serious  sickness  epidemic  among 

them.  V 

4.  If  they  were  spasmodic  layers. 

5.  If  after  a  period  of  good  laying  they  suddenly  fell  off  and  were  hard  to  get  laying 

again. 

6.  If  they  are  now  generally  in  poor  condition. 

A  lot  of  hens  may  have  had  all  these  unfortunate  experiences;  few  flocks  entirely  escape 
them,  and  most  poultrymen  have  to  take  account  of  some  of  them  every  year.  The  years  when 
we  avoid  them  all  are  red  letter  years  in  our  lives,  and  the  hens  produced  in  those  years  are 
likely  to  be  unusually  long  lived  as  profitable  layers. 

Now,  though  in  proportion  as  they  have  escaped  the  above  ills,  the  yearling  hens  are  more 
promising  candidates  for  a  longer  stay  in  the  poultry  yard,  we  must  not  make  the  mistake  of 
condemning  them  on  one  or  two  counts,  especially  if  the  faults  were  remedied;  but  we  must 
note  that  every  unfavorable  condition  in  the  life  of  the  hen  increases  the  danger  that  as  she 
passes  her  prime  she  will  develop  digestive  or  ovarian  troubles,  and  with  this  in  mind  we  must 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  93 

select  much  more  carefully  from  such  a  lot  of  hens  than  from  a  flock  that  has  had  no  trouble 
and  has  been  steadily  productive,  and  always  in  dealing  with  an  individual  of  such  history  must 
consider  that  its  expectation  of  continued  productiveness  or  of  recovery  from  disease  is  below 
the  average.  In  deciding  upon  his  general  arrangements  for  the  year,  the  poultry  keeper  who 
has  to  deai  with  a  flock  like  this  can  estimate  that  he  will  have  only  a  small  proportion  of  year- 
ling hens  to  carry  over. 

In  selecting  from  a  flock  of  yearlings  that  have  been  generally  in  good  condition,  free  from 
disease,  and  fair  to  good  egg  producers,  take  first  those  that  are  plainly  in  good  health  and  con- 
dition, bright  looking  and  presumed  to  be  laying  or  about  to  lay.  Hens  that  answer  that 
description  at  this  season  of  the  year  we  may  say  quite  positively  that  it  will  pay  to  keep  over. 

Of  course  this  does  not  mean  that  every  such  hen  will  be  profitable.  Every  hen  of  a  small 
lot  may  be,  but  the  rule  is  that  as  hens  advance  in  age  an  increasing  proportion  of  them  develop 
disorders  or  from  various  reasons  become  unprofitable.  What  we  say  of  this  selected  lot  of 
yearling  hens  is  that  being  at  this  season  in  fine  condition  these  hens  may  be  reserved  and  given 
regular  care  with  every  reasonable  assurance  that  they  will  give  a  good  account  of  themselves, 
and  their  further  culling  need  not  concern  the  poultry  man  for  some  time. 

Having  taken  out  the  best  hens,  take  now  the  worst  ones  —  the  hens  that  are  noticeably 
inferior  in  size  and  appearance.  Perhaps  I  can  make  it  plainer  by  telling  how  I  go  about  it 
myself. 

When  putting  pullets  into  winter  quarters  in  the  fall,  as  long  as  I  have  room  for  them,  I  do 
not  reject  slightly  undersized  or  those  that  lack  typical  shape,  provided  they  seem  vigorous  and 
healthy.  My  experience  has  been  that  while  not  equal  to  well  grown  and  well  built  pullets  for 
continued  egg  production  these  inferior  pullets  are  generally  profitable  as  layers  through  their 
first  winter  and  spring  laying  period.  After  that  I  find  them  as  a  rule  less  satisfactory,  and 
except  in  case  I  reserve  some  for  further  tests,  all  such  yearling  hens  go  to  the  hen  cart  in  the 
first  general  clean  up  in  June  or  early  July.  When  I  was  handling  poultry  on  a  larger  scale, 
and  peddling  out  my  products,  we  were  killing  off  old  stock  as  customers  wanted  it  every  week 
in  the  year,  yet  always  as  the  young  chicks  came  up  and  needed  the  room  we  found  it  necessary 
to  go  over  the  whole  stock  carefully  and  dispose  of  many  of  the  least  promising  yearlings. 

These  poorest  hens  are  destined  to  go  to  the  hen  cart  as  soon  as  in  marketable  condition, 
whether  they  begin  to  lay  or  not. 

We  have  left  now  some  hens  about  which  we  are  uncertain.  They  do  not  seem  to  belong 
positively  with  either  of  the  other  classes.  Most  of  them  are  good  hens  in  poor  condition. 

That  being  the  case,  the  points  for  us  to  consider  are  why  they  are  in  poor  condition,  and 
whether  their  condition  can  be  readily  improved. 

The  most  common  cause  for  healthy  hens  being  in  poor  condition  at  this  season  is  that  egg 
production  for  some  time  has  been  so  heavy  that  they  could  hot  keep  it  up  and  keep  in  good 
flesh  at  the  same  time.  The  result  is  that  they  lay  heavily  as  long  as  they  can  stand  it,  then 
have  to  stop,  and  will  either  not  lay  or  lay  only  occasionally  until  restored  to  good  condition. 

My  hens  are  at  all  times  full  fed  and  with  sufficient  variety,  yet  I  always  find  a  considerable 
number  of  them  that  thus  lay  themselves  out  of  condition.  The  lot  of  hens  comprising  this 
class,  if  put  by  themselves,  as  I  put  them  now,  generally  give,  for  awhile,  a  very  small  egg 
yield,  though  if  one  has  been  very  rigid  in  selection  of  his  first  class  hens,  he  will  have  left 
for  this  some  that  are  laying,  but  not  in  good  condition,  and  only  more  attractive  than  the 
others  which  go  into  the  intermediate  class  because  the  comb  is  bright.  If  these  laying  hens 
go  as  they  should  into  this  intermediate  lot  we  are  likely  to  have  from  it  at  the  start  a  low,  but 
steady  egg  yield. 

The  hens  are  now  divided  into  three  lots,  I.  e. : 

Lot  7. — Good  hens  in  good  condition. 

Lot  2.— Good  hens  in  poor  condition,  and  hens  about  which  the  keeper  feels 

uncertain. 
Lot  3. — Poor  hens  and  those  which  for  other  reasons  it  is  not  desirable  to 

keep. 

Under  this  last  specification  include  scaly  legged  hens  —  no  matter  how  good  in 
other  respects. 


94  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Lot  1  {8  to  be  kept  over,  aud  is  to  have  the  regular  summer  care  to  be  described. 

Lot  2  is  to  have  special  care  and  feeding  to  bring  as  many  as  may  be  into  good  condition,  then 
be  sorted  out  again,  those  which  respond  quickly  to  good  care  being  transferred  to  Lot  1,  or 
given  the  same  care  where  they  are,  while  those  that  do  not  get  into  condition  with  reasonable 
promptitude  are  to  be  marketed. 

With  regard  to  these  last,  and  also  to  hens  in  Lot  3,  if  they  do  not  flesh  up  readily,  though 
apparently  healthy,  sell  them  as  they  are  for  what  they  will  bring.  Don't  try  to  fatten  them 
regardless  of  time  or  cost.  The  probability  is  that  such  hens  have  weak  digestion,  or  some 
minor  disorder  that  prevents  getting  them  in  good  flesh,  and  if  the  attempt  is  made  to  force 
them  pronounced  disease  may  d'evelop  and  make  them  a  total  loss.  There  is  a  market  for  poor 
fowls,  but  not  for  sick  ones. 

We  will  refer  again  to  points  in  the  handling  of  these  lots  of  fowls  after  the  general  state- 
ment of  the  method  of  caring  for  fowls  in  summer. 

The    Season    and   the    Systems. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  fact  that  many  poultrymen  who  get  fair  to  good  egg  yields 
in  winter  aud  spring  do  not  do  so  well  in  summer.  There  may  be  other  special  reasons  for 
this  in  special  cases,  but  I  think  the  prime  reason  is  to  be  found  in  that  the  hens  are  kept  under 
conditions  that  were  made  for  winter,  and  cannot  be  properly  adapted  to  summer  poultry 
keeping. 

Ventilation    in   the    Poultry    House. 

Many  poultry  houses  are  so  constructed  that  they  cannot  be  thoroughly  ventilated.  Many 
that  might  be  well  ventilated  by  leaving  all  doors  and  windows  open  day  and  night  are  but 
partly  opened  in  the  day  time,  and  almost  closed  at  night.  Houses  with  the  roosts  next  low 
rear  walls,  and  houses  with  deep  narrow  pens  give  very  unsatisfactory  conditions  on  hot 
sultry  nights.  In  cool  summers  hens  may  do  fairly  well  in  such  bouses,  but  in  hot  seasons  the 
lack  of  air  in  such  quarters  is  very  debilitating.  A  summer  poultry  house  should  be  airy  day 
and  night;  it  must  be  so  if  the  fowls  are  to  do  well  and  keep  well  in  it.  The  Rhode  Island 
colony  poultry  farmers  block  their  houses  up  several  inches  from  the  ground  in  summer, 
admitting  fresh  air  all  around.  If  thorough  ventilation  cannot  be  obtained  any  other  way, 
male  openings  in  the  rear  wall  of  the  house  near  the  roof,  with  a  slide  or  hinged  cover  that 
can  oe  closed  when  rain  or  wind  would  beat  in.  There  is,  however,  little  danger  of  bad  effects 
from  such  causes  if  the  opening  is  protected  by  the  eaves  of  the  house;  and  there  are  few  times 
In  summer  when  one  need  fear  lest  fowls  suffer  from  drafts  through  such  openings. 

Yards    and    Range. 

Fowls  keep  in  best  condition  in  summer  if  they  have  good  grassy  range,  with  both  sun  and 
shade  as  they  may  want  to  take  them. 

They  can,  as  a  rule,  be  made  more  productive  if  confined  to  yards  where  the  supply  of 
green  food  does  not  exceed  their  actual  needs,  and  fed  well  on  a  ration  differing  but  little  from 
that  given  during  cool  weather. 

The  most  productive  fowl,  however,  is  not  always  the  most  profitable  fowl.  The  item  of 
labor  must  be  considered,  and  the  more  yard  room  fowls  are  given  the  less  close  attention  to 
their  wants  is  necessary.  No  rule  to  govern  the  adjustment  of  labor  to  production  can  be  given. 
It  must  vary  under  different  circumstances. 

If  a  man  has  nothing  to  do  but  take  care  of  his  fowls,  or  has  ample  time  to  give  them  all  the 
care  required  under  intensive  methods,  his  best  policy  is  to  get  the  largest  possible  product 
from  his  hens. 

If  in  the  use  of  intensive  methods,  he  gives  time  to  poultry  that  otherwise  would  be 
devoted  to  other  profitable  work,  he  must  decide  just  what  division  of  his  time  will  pay  him 
best.  Such  decision  requires  some  experience  and  some  experiment  in  adjusting  methods  to 
circumstances.  The  essential  thing  in  the  early  stages  of  one's  work  with  poultry  is  to  under- 
stand the  need  and  advantage  of  striking  the  right  balance  in  the  distribution  of  time  to 
different  kinds  of  work,  and  direct  one's  effort  toward  the  gradual  solution  of  the  problem. 


FIfitiT    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  95 

Consideration  must  also  be  given  to  the  fact  that,  though  by  confinement  and  high  feeding, 
hens  may,  as  a  rule,  be  made  more  productive  than  when  given  more  liberty  and  lighter  diet, 
the  process  wears  them  out  faster,  and  it  is  not  advisable  to  force  in  this  way  hens  that  are  to 
be  used  the  next  season  for  breeding  purposes,  or  indeed  hens  that  are  wanted  to  lay  during 
the  succeeding  winter  and  spring.  High  feeding  through  summer  should  be  carried  to  the 
limit  only  with  hens  that  are  destined  to  be  sold  as  soon  as  they  cease  to  lay  profitably.  With 
those  we  want  to  produce  longer  we  must  be  more  moderate,  and  must  modify  the  diet,  even 
at  cost  of  reduction  in  the  egg  yield,  during  extreme  hot  weather. 

The  Effects  of  Change. 

Another  point  to  be  considered  is  that  a  change  of  quarters  or  a  change  from  one  system  to  a 
quite  different  one,  with  perhaps,  changes  in  diet  or  method  of  feeding  with  the  changing  con- 
ditions, will  at  the  same  time  better  the  condition  and  the  egg  yield  of  fowls. 

Again  and  again  poultry  men  have  taken  breeding  hens  after  months  of  heavy  laying  in  con- 
finement, put  them  on  range  to  recuperate,  not  caring  whether  the  hens  laid  or  not,  and  found 
that  after  a  little  rest  they  began  to  lay,  and  laid  well  for  a  long  time,  when  if  left  in  their  old 
quarters  they  would  probably  have  done  nothing.  Good  laying  under  such  conditions  does  not 
seem  to  take  as  much  out  of  the  fowls  as  the  same  production  in  confinement.  Such  a  change 
is  not  a  sure  way  of  making  hens  lay  in  summer,  but  it  seems  to  do  so  often  enough  to  make  it 
worth  a  trial  when  other  methods  fail. 

Summer  Feeding. 

Except  for  extremely  hot  periods  or  conditions  which  give  hot  effects  continuously — as  small 
yards  and  badly  ventilated  houses — the  general  summer  and  winter  rations  for  laying  stock  may 
be  virtually  the  same. 

Using  such  rations  as  are  given  in  Lesson  I.  for  moderate  winter  weather,  increase  the  corn 
meal  and  corn  in  them  for  extreme  cold  winter  weather,  and  for  summer  reduce  the  corn  meal 
and  (especially)  the  corn  in  warmest  weather. 

In  the  last  two  or  three  seasons  I  have  had  more  trouble  with  cracked  corn  than  in  all  my 
previous  experience,  finding  it  difficult  to  get  cracked  corn  free  from  mold.  Consequently  I 
have  fed  less  cracked  corn  than  formerly,  and  sometimes  have  omitted  it  altogether  for  weeks 
at  a  time.  Good  clean  cracked  corn  free  from  mold  and  not  heated  may  be  fed  to  hens  on 
range  or  in  large  grass  yards  quite  as  freely  now  as  in  winter,  except  in  hottest  weather,  when 
it  is  advisable  to  leave  it  out. 

Green    Food. 

Ordinarily  fowls  may  be  allowed  all  the  green  food  they  will  eat,  both  winter  and  summer. 
Sometimes,  however,  when  the  weather  is  extremely  hot  they  will,  if  liberally  supplied  with 
green  food,  fill  up  on  it  and  take  too  little  grain  to  sustain  egg  production  at  their  usual  mark. 
If  egg  production  is  to  be  maintained,  if  possible  it  is  best  at  such  times  to  feed  green  food  only 
after  the  fowls  have  been  fed  on  grain. 

Again,  fowls  on  a  range  well  supplied  with  grass  and  insects  are  apt  to  get  in  the  habit  of 
foraging  early,  maintaining  themselves  on  insects  and  grass,  and  lay  very  little.  The  best  way 
to  do  in  such  cases  is  to  keep  the  hens  up  until  they  have  had  one  good  feed  of  grain.  If  prac- 
ticable the  end  sought  may  be  gained  by  increasing  the  number  of  fowls  on  the  range,  thus 
making  the  supply  of  food  each  secures  by  foraging  enough  less  than  a  comfortable  sufficiency 
to  keep  it  ready  to  take  a  fair  ration  of  grain  once  or  twice  a  day. 

Animal    Food. 

A  range  must  be  very  good  indeed  to  furnish  all  the  animal  food  they  need  to  what  fowls 
can  get  all  the  green  food  they  need  on  it.  Hence  under  ordinary  conditions  it  is  more  neces- 
sary to  supplement  the  animal  food  of  hens  on  range  than  to  provide  special  supplies  of  green 
food,  and  I  think  hens  on  range  in  summer  will  stand  even  heavier  feeding  of  concentrated, 
prepared  meat  foods  than  when  confined  in  winter.  For  hens  that  are  closely  confined  it  is 
safer  to  reduce  the  proportions  of  prepared  animal  food,  and  if  it  is  desired  to  feed  meat  heavily 
feed  at  least  a  part  of  fresh  meat  or  green  cut  bone,  which  contain  large  percentages  of  water. 
In  feeding  concentrated  animal  foods  at  this  season  special  attention  should  be  given  to  the 


96  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

quality  of  the  articles  used.    Anything  of  this  kind  that  is  not  sound,  sweet  and  good  will  pro« 
duce  bad  effects  more  quickly  in  hot  weather  than  at  any  other  time. 

flanner   and    Times  of   Feeding. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  dry  feeding  for  winter,  and  close  confinement,  it  must  be 
admitted  that  for  hens  on  range  in  summer  it  is  a  method  economical  of  time,  and  saving 
the  poultryman  from  the  necessity  of  giving  close  attention  to  every  feeding,  for  when  grain 
for  a  day,  or  two  if  need  be,  can  be  broadcasted  over  a  range  where  it  scatters  enough  to  give 
the  fowls  all  needed  exercise  in  getting  it,  the  task  of  feeding  becomes  light. 

In  more  restricted  quarters  the  amount  which  may  be  thrown  out  at  one  time  if  smaller,  and 
when  we  get  down  to  small  yards,  times  and  ways  of  feeding  differ  from  the  winter  practice 
only  in  that  the  days  being  long  it  is  much  easier  to  make  a  satisfactory  adjustment  of  the 
regular  meals. 

One  of  the  great  difficulties  in  winter  feeding  is  to  give  the  fowls  in  those  shortest  days 
enough  for  their  own  paaintenance  and  good  egg  production,  and  yet  not  overwork  the  digestive 
organs.  In  summer,  with  it  possible  to  feed  in  the  morning  several  hours  earlier,  and  in  the 
evening  several  hours  later,  there  is  time  for  three  full  meals,  and  rests  for  the  digestive 
system  between  them.  That  is  why  fowls  often  eat  more  in  summer  than  in  winter,  and  why 
when  they  do  they  stand  heavy  work  better. 

Perhaps  the  poultry  keeper  does  not  want  to  get  up  early  enough  in  the  morning  to  give  his 
fowls  ao  early  breakfast.  If  so,  he  should  see  that  they  have  something  left  over  from  the 
night  feed  to  give  them  an  inducement  to  be  busy  until  he  is  ready  to  give  them  their  break- 
fast. In  very  hot  weather— indeed  at  all  times  in  summer,  but  especially  in  very  hot  weather, 
the  fowls  should  get  out  as  soon  as  it  is  light,  so  that  they  may  have  opportunity  to  feed  and 
exercise  while  it  is  cool  and  comfortable.  When  the  heat  is  great  they  will  keep  still  and  go 
without  food  rather  than  make  any  effort  to  get  it,  and  when  they  do  this  we  see  the  same 
result  as  when  they  eat  too  liberally  of  green  food  to  the  neglect  of  the  more  substantial  grain 
diet  needed  to  sustain  egg  production.  As  my  poultry  houses  are  never  closed,  the  hens  get 
out  as  soon  as  it  is  light.  Where  houses  must  be  closed  for  safety  the  poultry  keeper  should 
be  about  early  and  let  the  hens  out.  If  he  isn't  willing  to  do  that  I  should  not  expect  to  find 
him  enthusiastic  over  summer  eggs. 

The  comment  just  made  suggests  a  word  in  regard  to  attention  to  fowls  in  summer.  There 
is  little  doubt  in  my  mind  that  many  instances  of  poor  summer  laying  are  due  to  lack  of  atten- 
tion to  the  needs  of  the  hens.  Too  often  the  poultryman's  interests  at  this  season  are  centered 
on  the  coming  generation  of  chicks  to  the  neglect  of  the  old  fowls.  When  this  is  the  case  there 
is  generally  mismanagement  somewhere.  It  may  be  that  there  is  not  room  to  carry  both.  In 
that  case  the  stock  should  be  reduced  to  what  he  has  facilities  to  handle  to  good  advantage. 
There  is  never  a  gain,  and  nearly  always  there  is  a  loss,  in  overstocking  a  poultry  plant. 

Special     Feeding. 

Let  us  take  up  now  the  special  feeding  of  such  hens  as  we  have  designated  as  Lot  2  and 
Lot3. 

Lot  2  contains  hens  which  are  probably  to  be  kept  over,  and  therefore  should  be  given  care 
and  feeding  that  would  build  up  the  general  condition  of  the  hens,  as  well  as  cause  them  to 
put  on  flesh.  So  while  being  in  all  other  respects  treated  like  the  hens  in  Lot  1,  they  should  be 
fed  heavily  HS  long  as  the  appetite  seems  good.  Give  them  a  good  rich  mash,  and  enough  of  it 
so  that  they  will  leave  a  little  over,  which,  within  an  hour  or  so,  they  will  come  back  and 
clean  up.  Have  grain  where  they  can  get  it  by  foraging,  or  scratching  at  anytime  through 
the  day.  Then,  just  before  dark,  give  grain  in  troughs,  or  what  mash  they  will  eat  up  quickly. 
If  a  second  mash  is  used  at  night,  do  not  continue  it  too  long,  or  it  may  produce  indigestion. 
If  fowls  show  any  tendency  to  looseness  of  the  bowels,  give  more  grain  and  less  mash,  or  use  a 
dry  mash. 

From  ten  days  to  three  weeks  of  such  feeding  should  show  quite  clearly  what  most  of  the 
hens  are  going  to  do.  Some  will  begin  to  lay  as  soon  as  in  good  condition.  Others  will  grow 
fat  very  fast.  Some  may  neither  fatten  nor  laj. 


FIliST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  97 

Put  those  that  lay  on  the  general  ration,  still  feeding  well,  but  with  more  caution. 

Sell  those  that  fatten  instead  of  beginning  to  lay.  Sometimes  poultry  keepers  try  to  make 
such  hens  lay  by  thinning  them  down  again,  the  assumption  being  that  they  do  not  lay  because 
they  are  too  fat  Usually  it  is  the  other  way  :  They  fatten  because  the  reproductive  organs  are 
for  some  reason  or  other  dormant. 

The  hens  that  do  not  fatten  or  lay 'should  be  marketed  if,  on  close  inspection,  no  reason  is 
discovered  for  supposing  them  not  fit  for  food.  If  one  feels  iu  any  doubt  about  that,  and  has 
such  scruples  as  he  ought  to  have  about  selling  diseased  poultry,  he  can  dress  and  draw  the 
fowls,  and  market  only  those  in  which  he  finds  the  organs  normal.  Sometimes  there  is  digest- 
ive weakness  without  disease.  It  might  be  overcome,  and  the  fowl  put  in  good  condition  iu 
time,  but  it  is  not  profitable  to  keep  and  feed  such  fowls,  for  quite  generally  they  consume  as 
much  food  as  the  others,  but  the  food  passes  through  the  system,  and  is  voided  without  much 
having  been  assimilated. 

To    Fatten    Fowls  in    Summer. 

The  fowls  in  Lot  3  are  to  be  sold  as  soon  as  marketable.  Some  of  them  may  need  no  fatten- 
ing and  may,  if  convenient,  be  disposed  of  at  once. 

To  fatten  the  others,  shut  them  up  in  a  comfortable  pen,  feed  once  a  day  a  mash  composed 
of  equal  parts  corn  meal  and  bran,  with  about  10%  of  the  combined  bulk  of  the  meal  and  bran 
red  dog,  or  white  middlings,  or  low  grade  flour,  with  as  much  good  beef  scrap  or  meat  meal 
added  as  they  will  eat  freely.  Keep  cracked  corn  before  them  all  the  time.  Give  a  little  green 
food  daily,  just  enough  for  a  relish.  See  that  they  are  well  supplied  with  water.  Keep  them 
quiet.  If  any  hens  are  disposed  to  be  quarrelsome,  remove  them  and  fatten  by  themselves  in 
small  coops. 

Sell  the  hens  as  soon  as  in  good  plump  condition.  Don't  try  to  get  them  excessively  fat.  Our 
market  does  not  want  that  kind  of  poultry.  There  may,  as  in  Lot  2,  be  a  few  hens  that  will 
not  fatten  ;  dispose  of  them  the  same  way. 

This  method  of  fattening  is  one  that  anyone  can  use  anywhere  —  in  almost  any  season.  I 
say  "  almost  any  season,"  because  in  an  extremely  hot  season  it  is  sometimes  found  hard  or 
impossible  to  fatten  fowls  this  way  during  the  warmest  period.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say 
whether  crate  fattening  would  accomplish  the  desired  results  with  those  hens  at  such  times, 
but  am  inclined  to  think  it  would  not. 

As  a  rule  it  does  not  pay  to  give  much  time  at  this  season  to  the  hens  that  are  not  to  be  kept 
over.  If  they  cannot  be  put  in  good  marketable  condition  quickly  sell  them  just  as  they  are. 

flolting. 

Of  late  years  a  good  deal  of  interest  has  been  manifested  in  the  matter  of  regulating  the  molt- 
ing of  fowls. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  a  period  of  fasting  or  short  feeding  followed  by  a  period  of  very 
heavy  feeding  of  rich  foods  would  cause  the  fowls  to  quit  laying,  drop  the  old  feathers  quickly, 
grow  the  new  coat  quickly,  and  promptly  resume  laying.  This  theory  was,  I  believe,  first 
exploited  by  an  institute  lecturer,  who  was  also  responsible  for  several  other  somewhat  sensa- 
tional stories.  I  could  not  learn  from  him  that  the  hens  he  claimed  to  have  m:ide  molt  did 
resume  lading  promptly.  In  fact  he  appeared  not  able  to  produce  any  proof  of  real  results, 
though  he  maintained  that  be  had  succeeded  in  controlling  the  molt.  Various  experiments 
made  along  this  line  have  had  varying  results,  not  all  fowls  being  affected  alike  by  the  treat- 
ment. It  seems  to  be  established  that  in  some  cases  a  molt  is  enforced,  but  not  that  there  is 
any  practical  advantage  in  doing  this.  Investigations,  however,  have  not  been  general  enough 
to  warrant  any  positive  general  conclusions,  and  as  far  as  I  know  none  have  followed  the  hens 
through  the  year  following  the  enforced  molt.  As  the  case  stands  I  could  not  advise  anyone  to 
attempt  to  control  the  molt  in  this  way  except  with  fowls  he  was  willing  to  experiment  upon. 
The  Time  of  the  Normal  Molt  Varies.  —Hens  begin  to  drop  some  feathers  in  June,  may 
drop  many  in  July,  and  from  that  time  on  till  winter  in  any  large  stook  fowls  may  be  found  in 
different  stages  of  molting.  If  there  are  any  general  rules  that  could  be  laid  down  in  regard  to 
molting  1  have  never  discovered  them.  The  greater  number  of  hens  will  be  "in  ful]  molt," 


98  FIRST   LE3SONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

that  is,  quite  bare  of  feathers,  and  not  laying,  in  September  and  October,  though  often  hens 
that  keep  on  laying  in  the  fall  do  not  get  right  down  to  growing  the  new  plumage  until 
November. 

Rations  for  Molting  Hens. 

The  food  requirements  of  the  molting  ben  do  not  differ  materially  from  those  of  the  laying 
hen.  Some  authorities  prescribe  rations  rich  in  protein  and  low  in  lats,  as  containing  in  better 
proportion  the  elements  required  for  feather  production. 

I  began  by  using  such  rations,  but  soon  discovered   that  my  hens  molted  better,  growing  a 
much  better  and  glossier  cout  of  feathers  if  fed  a  ration  rich  in  fats.    Experience  in  this  respect 
has  been  the  same  with  hens  molting  in  midsummer,  and  those  molting  in  late  fall,  except  that 
the  hens  molting  in  summer  molted   much  more  quickly  and  often  laid  continuously  right 
through  the  molt.    For  many  years  my  method  of  feeding  molting  hens  has  been  : — 
Morning. — Mash  as  in  Mash  No.  1,  Lesson  I.,  but  nearly  half  corn  meal. 
Noon. — (or  all  day  feed)— Wheat  or  barley  broadcasted  in  the  yards. 
Evening. — Cracked  corn  scattered  in  the  yards,  followed  just  before  the  hens  go  to  roost 

by  as  much  more  cracked  corn,  fed  either  in  troughs  or  handfuls  on  the  ground. 
Cabbage  before  the  fowls  all  the  time. 

Generally  hens  do  not  all  molt  alike.  Some  molt  quickly,  others  slowly.  It  is  a  good  plan, 
whenever  practicable,  to  keep  them  sorted  over,  and  have  all  hens  in  one  pen  or  lot  very  nearly 
in  the  same  condition. 


FIE  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY   KEEPING. 


LESSON  XII. 

Continuous  Poultry  Houses. — Continuous  vs.  Separate 

Houses. 


SINCE  the  subject  of  this  lesson  was  announced,  so  many  readers  about  to  build  have 
written  me  asking  my  opinion  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  continuous  and  separate  poul- 
try houses,  that  I  have  thought  it  better  to  make  the  discussion  of  that  subject  preface 
the  descriptions  of  continuous  houses,  and  so  give  those  interested  in  them  the  oppor- 
tunity 10  consider  the  plans  and  the  advisability  of  building  such  plans  in  the  light  of  what  may 
be  said  for  or  against  the  system  of  keeping  poultry  in  large,  long  houses. 

It  is  undoubtedly  more  convenient  for  the  poultry  keeper  to  have  his  fowls  all  under  one 
roof  or  in  connecting  buildings  in  winter.  It  is  easier  and  in  every  way  more  agreeable  to  be 
able  to  pass  from  the  grain  and  feed  room  to  any  and  all  of  the  buildings  occupied  by  fowls 
without  going  from  under  cover,  and  without  taking  more  steps  than  absolutely  necessary. 

In  winter,  again,  for  long  periods,  and  sometimes  through  quite  the  entire  winter,  it  may  be 
Impossible  for  the  fowls  to  get  out  beyond  such  little  strip  of  ground  next  their  house  as  may 
be  kept  clear  of  snow  for  them,  and  hence  all  the  advantages  of  large  yards  and  free  range  are 
for  the  time  inoperative. 

As  far  as  winter  poultry  keeping  goes,  in  all  latitudes  and  localities  where  there  is  much 
snow  or  mud,  there  is  no  advantage  in  detached,  separate  houses,  in  either  of  the  matters 
alluded  to  above,  i.  e.,  economy  of  labor  and  benefit  of  ample  outdoor  room  to  the  fowls. 

There  is,  I  think,  but  one  point  in  which  a  continuous  house  is  objectionable  in  winter. 
If  built  as  many  such  houses  are  built,  without  due  precautions  to  avoid  drafts  and  to 
secure  uniform  conditions  throughout  the  building  we  are  very  apt  to  have  conditions  of 
temperature,  dryness,  etc.,  varying  greatly  within  the  house  and  in  parts  of  it  becoming 
so  unsuitable  that  the  fowls  in  those  pens  do  not  do  as  well  as  the  others  do.  This  differ- 
ence in  conditions  in  pens  in  the  same  house  is  not  the  only  cause  of  uneven  results,  but  it 
is  the  cause  very  often  when  not  at  all  suspected.  To  test  for  it.  If  there  are  in  a  long  build- 
ing with  numerous  pens  certain  pens  of  fowls  laying  well,  and  others  not  laying  well,  or 
some  perfectly  healthy  while  others  either  seem  unthrifty  or  one  by  one  contract  some  disease, 
(particularly  colds)  though  there  is  no  reason  in  the  stock  itself  or  in  the  care  given  that  will 
explain  the  differences,  try  exchanging  the  fowls  in  two  such  pens.  If,  as  will  often  be 
the  case,  the  pens,  soon  after  changing  places,  begin  to  change  in  condition  and  produc- 
tiveness you  may  be  quite  sure  that  the  bad  condition  and  unproductiveness  are  due  to 
some  fault  in  the  building.  If  a  building  is  so  constructed  that  no  difficulties  of  this  kind 
arise  in  operating  it,  the  continuous  house  system  is,  I  think,  without  question  the  best  sys- 
tem for  winter  poultry  keeping. 


100 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 


Al 


Section    of  Continuous    House 
Connecting    Pent. 


With 


Equally  without  question,  T  think 
that  for  other  seasons  of  the  year  it 
Is  the  worst  system.  If  a  large  num- 
ber of  fowls  are  to  be  kept  on  a  small 
piece  of  ground,  we  must  consider 
the  continuous  house  system  the  best 
for  such  circumstances;  but  it  is  a 
mistake,  and  a  bad  one,  for  a  person 
who  wants  to  keep  a  large  stock  of 
fowls  to  use  intensive  methods. 

I  do  not  mean  by  that  that  poultry 
cannot  be  made  profitable  under  such 
conditions.  It  would  be  absurd  to 
claim  that  they  could  not— for  they 
have  been  kept  at  a  good  profit  under 
such  conditions  by  a  great  many  peo- 
ple. But  the  profitable  life  of  the 
Intensive  poultry  plant  seems  to  be 
short.  The  ground  becomes  contam- 
inated, and  the  stock  does  not  thrive 
as  it  did  when  the  plant  was  new. 
The  system  is  a  laborious  one  for  the 
poultryman  —  keeping  his  nose  on  the 
grindstone  all  the  time,  and  unless  he 
is  uncommonly  pleased  with  that  pro- 
cess, when  results  begin  to  be  less 
satisfactory  he  becomes  discouraged,  and  grows  somewhat 
careless  and  slack  about  his  work,  and  his  plant  soon 
becomes  an  unsatisfactory  proposition.  This  has  been  the 
history  of  many  a  venture  in  which  the  poultryman,  after 
a  few  years  struggle,  succeeds  in  getting  his  intensive 
poultry  plant  on  a  paying  basis,  only  to  discover  after  a 
few  years  more  how  difficult  or  impossible  it  will  be  to 
keep  the  plant  up  to  the  mark  made  in  those  fat  years. 

For  all  times  of  the  year  but  winter,  and  perhaps  we 
should  include  early  spring,  the  easiest  way  to  handle  fowls 
is  to  give  them  either  free  range,  or  yards  so  large  that 
they  have  all  the  advantages  of  free  range.  To  keep  fowls 
in  this  way  houses  of  one  or  two  pens  are  used.  What- 
ever may  be  said  of  the  relative  merits  of  warm  or  closed 


L 


and  cold   or  open  houses  in  winter,  there  will  be  no  dis- 

A  ground  plan,  A 1  front,  A2partition    agreement  on  the  proposition  thatalmost  any  old  leaky  shed 
between  pens.  will  do  for  summer. 

The  ideal  poultry  plant  I  would  consider  a  plant  that  gave  the  best  conditions  for  both 
winter  and  summer.  That  means  practically  two  sets  of  buildings;  continuous  houses  con- 
venient to  the  dwelling  and  to  other  outbuildings  for  winter,  and  separate  houses  distributed 
about  the  farm  for  summer.  This  is  what  I  would  have  if  I  were  keeping  a  large  stock  of 
poultry  on  a  large  farm.  On  a  place  of  but  a  few  acres,  or  on  a  small  lot,  I  would  be  governed 
by  circumstances.  On  my  place  now  I  have  the  two  pen  building  described  in  Lesson  IX.,  and 
five  smaller  one  pen  houses  distributed  about  the  place.  Winter  before  last  we  had  these  small 
houses  up  near  the  barn,  the  two  pen  house  being  farthest  from  the  dwelling.  In  the  spring 
all  the  small  houses  were  put  beyond  the  two  pen  house,  the  farthest  away  being  some  200  ft. 
from  it.  Last  winter  the  small  houses  were  used  as  in  summer,  because  I  did  not  care  to 
move  them  in  and  then  back  again  in  the  spring.  The  intention  is  to  have  the  south  end  of 
the  barn  basement  fitted  for  poultry,  and  keep  in  it  through  the  winter  about  as  many  Jtiens 


FIRST  LESSONS  '"1N:  'FOWL TRY  ' 


101 


*                     N 

1                                Y 

— 

Y 

B- 

I 

/ 

_  ^*                  « 

_ 

as  the  small  outlying  houses  will  accom- 
modate lu  the  summer.  This,  as  the 
reader  will  notice,  is  a  modification  of 
what  I  call  the  ideal  system,  which  is  a 
complete  double  system. 

For  my  own  use,  and  for  all  round 
economy,  I  would  use  the  double  capacity, 
one  set  of  buildings  for  winter,  and  the 
other  for  summer,  rather  than  adopt  the 
plan  of  grouping  small  movable  houses 
together  for  winter,  and  spreading  them 
over  the  farm  in  summer,  because  I  believe 
it  would  be  cheaper  in  the  long  run,  and 
altogether  more  satisfactory. 

It  is  a  good    deal  of    a  job  to  move  a 
building  having  a  capacity  of  over  a  dozen 
to  fifteen  fowls,    anyway  you  do  it.    To 
move    a    lot   of  such    buildings  twice    a 
year,  it  will  take  but  a  few  years  to  make 
the  cost  of    movings  exceed    the  cost  of 
a  summer  plant.     Further,   the    moving 
of  buildings   twice  a  year   may  interfere 
seriously  with  other  work ;  or  if  other  work 
interferes  with  it  the  delays  are  expensive, 
and   may   put  operations  out  of  joint  for 
the  whole  season.    Then  the  grouping  of 
small  buildings  close  together  makes  a  very 
poor  substitute    for   the  continuous  house  system  in  bad 
winter  weather.    I    would    not    say  it  was  impossible  to 
group  the  separate    buildings   temporarily,    and   arrange 
everything  conveniently,  but  I  have  not  seen  it  done.  Where 
I  have  seen  one  pen  houses  placed  close  together,  it  would 
have  been  as  well  in  my  judgment  to  have  placed  them  far 
enough  apart  to  make  a  system  of  houses  like  my  two  pen 
house.    Such  houses  placed   with  ends  30  to  50  ft.  apart, 
and  the  rows  of  houses    150   ft.  or   more    apart   give  a 
medium  between  winter    and   summer  conditions  of  con- 
venience   that  will   be    found   very    satisfactory  on  small    Section   °/  Continuous    House     With 
,          ...,.,         i  ,       Connecting    Pens  and  Enclosed  Roosts. 

farms   or  on  farms  where  it  is  desired  to  keep  the  fowls 

,  it_  ,  B  ground  plan,  B 1  front,    B  2  partition 

permanently  on  the  same  ground.  between  pens. 

In  conclusion  I  want  to  say  to  the  reader  debating  the  house  question — Don't  give  undue 
weight  to  my  opinion.  I  have  tried  to  emphasize  the  need  of  adapting  systems  or  plans  to  con- 
ditions. I  would  also  emphasize  the  need  of  adapting  them  tc  personal  preferences.  Because 
I  don't  object  to  traveling  even  through  the  snow  the  few  hundred  yards  which  must  be 
traversed  in  caring  for  my  fowls  as  I  have  them  in  winter,  it  does  not  follow  that  you  will  be 
suited  with  such  conditions.  One  reason  I  don't  object  to  it  is  that  that  may  be  the  greater  part 
of  my  outdoor  exercise  at  that  season.  If  1  were  out  doors  all  day  it  might  be  different.  I 
might  still  continue  to  do  it  as  on  the  whole  the  best  arrangement,  but  very  likely  would  con- 
sider that  feature  sometimes  a  drawback. 

Plan  your  buildings  to  suit  your  conditions,  your  methods  of  poultry  keeping  and  yourself. 
If  you  havfc  preferences  indulge  them  unless  you  find  them  condemned  by  persons  of  good  and 
fair  judgment.  Don't  take  anyone's  ideas  on  authority  unless  the  reasons  they  give  seem  good. 
Some  useless  features  have  been  introduced  into  all  buildings  in  a  community  merely  because 
some  one  who  was  successful  had  them  in  his  building,  though  these  features  were  superficial 
and  did  not  at  all  affect  results. 


102 


IN'  'POULTRY    KEEPING. 


Continuous    Poultry     Houses. 


-V  _V 


c\. 


The  continuous  poultry  house,  as  the  descriptive  name  indicates,  is  a  system  of  similar 
compartments,  or  pairs  of  compartments  united  in  one  long  building.  The  single  pen  or  pair 
of  pens  is  made  the  unit  of  the  system.  When  a  single  pen  is  the  unit,  each  pen  throughout 
the  entire  system,  which  may  extend  to  a  number  of  long  buildings,  is  in  construction  a 
duplicate  of  every  other  pen.  When 
the  unit  is  a  double  one  it  is  because 
the  plan  adopted  makes  some  arrange- 
ments, as  of  doors,  windows,  roosts, 
and  nests  alike  in  the  alternate,  but 
opposite  in  the  adjoining  pens. 

Of  the  plans  of  separate  and  two 
pen  "houses,  given  in  Lessons  IX.  and 
X.,  the  first  house  in  Lesson  IX.  is  not 
adapted  to  become  the  unit  of  a  system 
in  a  continuous  house.  A  pen  of  the 
second  house  might  be  used  as  the"1 
unit  in  a  short  system,  but  the  longer 
the  house  the  more  inconvenient  it  is 
to  have  to  go  through  the  end  pens  to 
reach  the  middle  ones,  and  I  would 
say  that  it  would  not  be  advisable  to 
use  this  arrangement  for  a  house  of 
more  than  four  pens.  With  the 
dimensions  used  in  my  building  this 
would  make  the  house  56  ft.  long. 

Mr.    Davis'  plan    in    Lesson  X.,  as 
given,  is  not  adapted   to  a  continuous 
building.    It    might    be    made    so    by 
simply  changing  the  position  of   the 
roosts.    The 
plans    given  by 
M  r  .    Pattison, 
Mr.  Ryan,  and 
Mr.  O'Brien  all 
show    pens     to 
which    may    be 
added      similar 

pens,    with    the  Section   of   Scratching    Shed   House    Without    Walk. 

same  limitations  C  ground  plan,  Cl  front,  C  2  partition  between  sheds,  C  3  partition  between  pens, 
as  I  gave  in  commenting  above  on  adapting  my  house  to  a  continuous  system.  Mr.  Gros- 
venor's  plan  needs  alterations  all  around  to  make  it  a  good  unit  for  a  continuous  house 
system,  though,  as  will  be  seen  by  comparison  with  some  continuous  house  plans,  the  effect 
of  his  arrangement  is  not  so  unlike  theirs.  It  is  only  that  dimensions  and  location  of 
openings  and  fixtures  are  made  without  reference  to  possible  adjoining  pens. 

By  reference  to  the  classification  of  houses  in  Lesson  VIII.,  the  reader  may  note  that  with 
very  few  exceptions  the  features  there  enumerated  may  be  applied  in  the  building  of  con- 
tinuous bouses.  The  three  general  styles  of  construction  are  all  used  in  continuous  houses, 
while  of  the  seven  styles  of  roofs  mentioned,  only  two  —  the  monitor  top  and  the  double 
pitch  east  and  west  roof  —  cannot  be  used  with  continuous  houses  facing  south,  or  nearly 
south,  as  most  such  houses  do. 

Roughly  estimating  the  materials  for  a  continuous  house  consists  merely  in  taking  the  esti- 
mates for  one  pen  or  section  and  multiplying  as  many  times  as  the  unit  is  to  be  repeated  in 
ihe  long  building,  except  in  this  one  point,  that  the  ends  of  the  building  are  the  same  for  one 


FIE  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


103 


A 


A 


pen  or  for  twenty,  and  instead 
of  the  solid  wall  between  pens 
we  have  generally  a  partition 
partly  of  boards  and  partly  of 
wire  netting.  For  absolute 
accuracy  in  estimates,  one 
should  make  drawings  of  his 
completed  house,  and  figure 
from  the  drawings;  and  to 
avoid  errors  in  construction 
this  should  be  done  anyway. 
It  is  not  always  necessary  that 
the  amateur  builder  (most  poul- 
trymeu  belong  to  this  classj 
should  follow  the  plan  he  uses 
in  every  detail  of  construction, 
but  it  certainly  is  advisable,  and 
personally  I  would  consider  it 
necessary  that  before  beginning 
building  he  should  know  just 
how  he  proposes  to  put  his 
building  together,  and  the  only 
way  I  know  of  demonstrating 
to  himself  that  he  does  know  is 
to  prepare  a  plan  to  be  followed 
as  he  works.  His  plan  may 
be  very  crude  from  an  archi- 
tect's standpoint,  but  if  it  indi- 
cates what  he  is  to  do  in  such 
a  way  that  he  can  go  ahead 
without  making  mistakes  that 
is  all  that  is  necessary. 

The    figures   accompanying 
show    first  a  single    section  of 


Diagrams  of  Two  Pens  in  Continuous  House,  With  Walk  in  Rear. 
In  A  the  roosts  run  parallel  to  the  walk;  in  B,  parallel  to  division 
partitions. 

my  two  pen  house  as  the  unit  in  a  long  house.  Next  a  pen  of  the  same  size  and  general  con- 
struction, but  with  single  pitch  roof  sloping  north,  and  with  the  interior  arrangement  changed 
to  bring  the  roosts  in  adjoining  pens,  and  the  fowls  on  the  roosts  closer  together,  and  make 
easier  the  enclosing  of  the  roosts,  if  that  is  desired.  This  second  plan  would  appear  to  be 
the  better  adaptation  of  my  plans  for  fowls  that  seemed  to  require  warmer  quarters  than  I 
give.  With  this  plan  it  is  possible,  by  doubling  the  wall  back  of  the  roost,  to  keep  the  fowls 
as  close  at  night  as  in  a  house  built  so  all  around,  while  the  expense  of  building  is  much  less. 
I  would  commend  this  plan  fora  trial  to  any  who  hesitate  to  go  to  the  extreme  in  simplicity 
of  construction. 

The  nests  in  this  plan  are  placed  along  the  rear  wall,  not  as  conveniently  for  the  collection  of 
eggs  as  the  nests  in  the  first  plan,  but  better  to  prevent  egg  eating,  if  there  is  danger  of  that. 

The  third  plan  shows  a  section  of  the  once  popular  scratching  shed  style.  Let  me  say  in 
regard  to  this  plan  that,  while  I  do  not  consider  it  the  best  or  most  economical  when  it  is 
desired  to  keep  as  many  fowls  as  possible  in  a  given  space,  if  the  purpose  is  to  keep  fowls, 
especially  those  least  able  to  stand  severe  weather  in  the  best  of  condition,  this  style  of  house 
can  be  arranged  to  furnish  conditions  as  nearly  ideal  as  we  can  make  them. 

It  has  been  found  in  using  scratching  shed  houses,  as  at  first  exploited,  that  the  fowls  gen- 
erally preferred  the  open  shed.  This  may  have  been  partly  because  they  were  fed  there,  and 
there  was  nothing  to  do  in  the  other  room  but  sit  on  nest  or  roost.  Now  most  of  those  who 
built  scratching  shed  houses  wanted  to  stock  them  to  the  fullest  possible  capacity,  and,  finding 
that  the  hens  preferred  the  shed  during  the  day  time,  and  that  the  muslin  fronts  were  not  alto- 
gether satisfactory,  many  of  them  put  glass  windows,  or  large  wooden  doors,  or  a  combination 


104 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 


of  these  in  the  front  of  the  shed,  and  took  out  the  partition  between  roosting  room  and  scratch- 
ing shed,  thus  muking  a  scratching  room  house.  But  some  few  breeders  of  fine  fowls,  with 
the  object  of  keeping  their  fowls  in  the  best  possible  condition,  have  gone  back  to  what  seems 
to  have  been  the  original  scratching  shed  idea,  and  used  the  closed  part  as  any  other  closed 
poultry  house,  making  the  open  shed  an  additional  protected  outdoor  privilege.  Those  who 
have  tried  this  way  of  handling  breeding  stock  think  it  pays. 

Walks  in  Continuous  Houses. 

The  plans  we  have  been  discussing  do  not  provide  for  a  walk  in  the  house.  When  a  walk  is 
to  be  used  the  floor  arrangement  should  be  as  in  the  accompanying  diagrams.  The  first  two 
are  for  the  ordinary  closed  house,  and  are  identical  except  in  position  of  the  roosts.  The  third 
shows  how  a  scratching  shed  house  is  built  with  walk  In  the  rear.  On  page  105  is  reproduced 
a  diagram  of  such  a  scratching  shed  house  built  some  ten  years  ago.  As  far  as  I  recall  now 
this  is  the  only  house  built  on  this  plan  I  have  seen. 

Houses  are  sometimes  built  with  the  walk  in  front  of  the  pens.  I  have  seen  but  one  such, 
and  have  seen  descriptions  of  only  one  or  two  others.  The  plan  does  not  commend  itself  to 
many  poultry  keepers.  The  sun  and  light  have  not  such  ready  access  to  the  pens,  and  the  walk 
has  to  be  elevated  to  allow  the  fowls  to  pass  under  it  to  the  yards  in  front  of  the  building.  We 
may  consider  this  arrangement  as  warranted  only  by  peculiar  and  insurmountable  conditions. 

Doing  the  Work  From  the  Walk. 

A  number  of  continuous  houses,  both  short  and  long,  have  been  planned  to  do  all  work  from 
the  walk,  with  the  roosts  placed  as  in  the  second  diagram,  the  nests  under  the  droppings 
%boards,  and  the  feed  troughs  either  below  the  nests  or  in  the  passage  and  accessible  to  fowls 
standing  under  the  nests.  Not  many  who  have  arranged  this  way  will  build  after  that  pattern 
a  second  time.  In 


only    a    very  small 
proportion    of    the 
houses  so  equipped  ^ 
have   I    found    the 
work  all  being  done 
from    the   walk  as 
designed.     It  is  not 
nearly    as    conven- 
ient in  practice  as  it 
looks  on  paper,  and 
when  the  pens  are 
never    entered     in 
cloiug  routine  work 
there    is    likely  to 
be  a  great  commo- 
tion among  the  hens 
when  it  is  necessary  tc 

U 

\ 

^irjr 

5 

1  M  i  i  i  |  ^ 

; 

a 

7 
W 

t                      '^ 

X 

y 
w 

s 

Diagram  Showing  Method  of  Building  Scratching  Shed  House  Wiih  Walk. 
go  into  the  pen. 

The  Passing  of  the  Continuous  House. 

The  continuous  house  plan  in  its  extreme  developments  was  a  fad.  Men  seemed  to  vie  with 
each  other  in  building  long  houses.  From  buildings  100  to  150  or  at  most  about  200  ft.  in 
length  they  went  to  in  one  case,  as  uiy  memory  serves,  about  600  ft.  The  shorter  buildings 
answered  their  purpose  very  well.  The  very  long  ones,  as  a  rule,  were  on  plants  that  failed, 
and  these  unwieldy  buildings  clearly  had  something  to  do  with  the  failure. 

Just  at  present  there  is  reaction  against  intensive  methods,  and  with  it  inevitably  goes  a  lack 
of  interest  .in  continuous  house  plans  which  may  easily  be  carried  too  far.  In  the  preliminary 
remarks  on  this  lesson  I  tried  to  show  how  and  where  the  continuous  house  plan  can  be  used  to 
best  advantage,  and  is  superior  to  separate  houses.  In  considering  house  plans,  as  in  nearly  all 
matters  relating  to  poultry  keeping,  we  will  find  it  best  not  to  commit  ourselves  unqualifiedly 
to  any  one  idea. 


4 


S 


rt 

i 

V 

V 

r 


x 


H 


ljl 


1 


V 


5  8 


105 


3  2 


106  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


LE5SON      XIII. 


Incubator   Rooms    and     Brooder    Houses. 


IN    DISCUSSING  the  topics  under  the  title  of  this  lesson,  I  shall  not  go  into  details  of 
construction  as  fully  as  in  the  treatment  of  houses  for  adult  stock,  for  these  reasons  : 
In  the  first  place  to  do  so  would  involve  a  good  deal  of  repetition  of  what  has  appeared 
in  the  other  lessons,  for  many  small  buildings  used  in  connection  with  artificial  methods 
are  quite  like  some  of  those  already  described.     In  the  next  place  the  larger  buildings  for  pipe 
systems  of  brooders  must  often  be  planned  with  reference  to  the  arrangement  of  the  heating 
system,  and  the  incubator  and  brooder  manufacturers  that  sell  heating  systems  furnish  plans 
especially  suited  to  them,  and  I  would   by  all  means  advise  any  who  intend  to  build  brooder 
houses  for  pipe  systems  of  brooding  to  decide  first  on  their  heating  arrangements,  and  build 
after  designs  furnished  by  the  manufacturers. 


Incubator    Rooms. 

For  an  incubator  room  most  incubator  operators  prefer  a  cellar.  It  is  desirable  that  the 
temperature  of  the  room  in  which  the  machines  are  to  be  operated  should  not  vary  sharply 
with  outside  fluctuations  of  temperature.  This  condition  might  be  obtained  in  a  room  wholly 
.above  ground  by  making  the  walls  very  thick,  but  such  a  building  would  be  expensive.  The 
conditions  sought  are  as  nearly  as  possible  attained— and  that  at  comparatively  small  expense 
by  building  cellars,  as  shown  in  the  illustration. 

Sometimes  the  cellar  used  is  under  a  building,  but  in  general  cellars  built  expressly  for  this 
purpose  are  placed  at  a  little  distance  from  other  buildings.  The  use  of  the  cellar  of  a  hous-e 
or  barn  for  incubators  is  quite  common  when  the  number  of  machines  operated  is  too  small,  or 
the  permanence  of  the  use  of  machines  too  uncertain  to  seem  to  warrant  the  expense  of  con- 
struction of  a  special  cellar. 

In  making  use  of  honse  and  other  cellars  under  buildings  of  more  value  than  poultry  build- 
ings generally  are, one  has  to  consider  first  of  all  how  it  affects  his  insurance.  At  present  most 
insurance  companies  either  refuse  to  take  risks  under  such  circumstances,  or  charge  a  very 
high  rate.  A  movement  is  now  on  foot  among  incubator  manufacturers  to  induce  insur- 
ance companies  to  modify  their  regulations  about  incubators  and  brooders.  Almost  simulta- 
neously with  the  beginning  of  this  movement  some  people  in  the  insurance  bus-iness  seem  to 
have  discovered  that  harsh  regulations  about  the  operation  of  incubators  and  brooders  were 
very  poor  policy.  So  it  is  likely  that  before  long  there  will  be  a  change  in  conditions,  and  an 


FIRST    LESSOyS    LV    POULTRY    KEEPING.  107 

agreement  as  to  tlie  circumstances  under  which  incubators  may  be  operated  in  dwellings 
and  such  other  places  as  people  are  likely  to  want  to  use  for  them. 

More  fundamental  objections  to  putting  incubators  in  places  not  originally  made  for  them 
are  that  too  often  the  surroundings  are  not  what  could  be  desired.  When  an  incubator  is 
operated  in  a  cellar  or  room  used  for  other  purposes  it  is  too  much  exposed  to  outside 
influences,  and  when  a  part  of  such  room  is  partitioned  off  for  the  incubators,  the  most  favor- 
able conditions  for  the  operation  of  the  machines  are  seldom  obtained.  The  chief  fault  in 
such  improvised  quarters  for  incubators  is  the  lack  of  suitable  ventilation.  A  common 
cellar  is  often  but  an  ill  ventilated  place  at  best,  and  the  air  in  it  good  only  when  brough  in 
in  stronger  currents  than  are  wanted  in  an  incubator  room.  When  a  portion  of  such  cellar 
is  set  apart  for  incubators  the  atmospheric  conditions  in  that  part  are  generally  not  made 
better  than  in  the  main  cellar. 

How  far  poor  ventilation  of  the  place  in  which  the  incubators  are  operated  is  responsible  for 


A    New    England    Incubator    Cellar, 

weak  chicks  and  for  losses  of  chicks  which  were  thought  all  right  when  they  hatched,  it 
is  impossible  to  say.  Some  of  those  making  careful  investigations  into  diseases  of  and  mortality 
among  artificially  hatched  chickens  are  beginning  to  be  very  strongly  of  the  opinion  that  a  lack 
of  fresh  air  in  the  machines  is  one  of  the  most  common  causes  of  trouble,  and  that  this  lack 
of  air  is  due  not  so  much  to  faults  in  machines,  but  to  the  imperfect  adjustment  of  the  sur- 
roundings —  that  is,  of  conditions  in  the  incubator  room  to  the  requirements  of  the  machines, 
and  the  impression  gains  ground  that  in  future  more  attention  will  have  to  be  given  to  the 
balancing  of  external  and  internal  conditions  of  the  artificial  hatcher. 

It  appears  from  some  observations  and  experiments  made  recently  that  the  time  may  soon 
come  when  directions  for  operating  incubators  will  be  much  more  comprehensive  than  at  pres- 
ent, the  necessary  variations  for  different  conditions  being  tabulated  so  that  the  operator  may 
the  better  adapt  the  running  of  his  machine  to  existing  conditions.  This  may  not  be  done  with 
absolute  accuracy,  but  far  better  than  by  guess.  Perhaps  I  can  make  the  meaning  more  clear 


108 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


by  an  illustration  from  amateur  photography  with  which  many  readers  are  somewhat  familiar. 
The  photographer  can  purchase  a  little  book  containing  carefully  worked  out  tables  which 
enable  him  to  determine  in  a  moment  just  what  time  to  give  an  exposure  with  the  diaphragm 
of  any  given  dimensions  and  with  any  possible  combination  of  light  and  surrounding  objects. 
By  the  use  of  such  tables  the  photographer  reinforces  and  regulates  his  judgment,  and  is  enabled 
to  eliminate  from  his  work  much  of  the  risk  of  spoiling  plates  or  films  and  losing  much  desired 
pictures.  So  in  the  development  of  artificial  incubation  we  are  evidently  coming  to  a  time 
when  the  operator  will  be  given  more  appliances  to  record  conditions  he  has  to  reckon  with, 
just  as  the  thermometer  now  records  the  temperature;  and  will  be  furnished  tabulated  instruc- 
tions as  to  the  adjustment  of  the  machine  to  conditions.  &', 

Meantime  the  amateur  incubator  operator  need  not  be  discouraged  because  in  the  operation 
of  incubators  he  must  rely  much  on  his  own  judgment.  At  this  stage  of  affairs  he  may  get  as 
good  results  as  others  by  simply  being  sure  he  is  on  the  safe  side. 

I  went  one  day  to  see  the  new  incubator  cellar  on  a  large  duck  plant  in  this  state.    It  was 


i  r  f 


One    of   Farrer    Bros,"1    Brooder    House?,     W.    Norwell,    Mass. 

built  something  like  that  in  the  illustration,  but  with  the  walls  high  enough  above  ground  to  let 
in  full  half  windows  on  the  sides,  while  the  roof  was  high  in  the  middle.  As  you  entered  the 
door  and  looked  about  the  effect  was  much  like  that  of  an  empty  church.  In  a  church  or  any 
other  building  for  large  gatherings  the  walls  must  be  high  that  there  may  be  in  the  room  a 
volume  of  air  great  enough  to  move  and  create  the  necessary  ventilation  without  great  change 
of  temperature.  The  builders  of  this  incubator  cellar  had  the  same  end  in  view.  There  was 
room  enough  in  the  building  for  a  cellar  higher  than  usually  used  for  incubators  and  for  a  very 
large  loft  over  it.  There  was  so  much  room  that  my  first  question  was  as  to  whether  they  had 
completed  the  building,  or  intended  to  make  a  loft.  The  reply  was  that  the  building  was  to  be 
used  as  it  was ;  that  it  had  been  planned  to  give  abundance  of  air  to  the  machines.  I  noticed  no 
odor  from  the  lamps  and  machines  in  that  cellar.  I  have  gone  into  many  incubator  cellars  in 
which  the  odor  wa^  very  bad.  In  some  of  these  this  was  because  ventilation  was  defective 
regardless  of  the  number  of  machines  in  operation  ;  in  others  it  was  because  entirely  too  many 
incubators  were  in  operation  in  the  room. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY  KEEPING. 


109 


Therefore,  wherever  .you  run  an  incubator  see  that  ventilation  is  good  enough  to  remove  had 
air,  and  wherever  you  run  more  incubators  see  that  this  good  condition  is  maintained.  That  it 
is  possible  to  batch  chicks  in  crowded  cellars  where  the  air  is  bad,  there  is  no  doubt.  There  is 
lots  of  it  done.  That  it  is  such  chicks  that  give  most  trouble  many  think  they  begin  to  notice. 
Build  the  incubator  cellar  as  large  as  you  are  ever  likely  to  use  it.  Though  it  may  always  be 
too  large — better  that  than  too  small.  Space  in  it  not  needed  for  incubators  may  be  used  for  an 
egg  room  or  for  storage  of  light,  clean  articles,  as  coops,  egg  boxes,  and  baskets,  etc. 

As  to  the  structure  of  the  incubator  room  :  If  a  cellar,  the  walls  below  the  surface  should  be 
of  stone  or  brick,  the  floor  of  cement,  the  entire  room  above  the  ground  lined  with  matched 
lumber,  and  the  windows  double,  for  this  is  a  building  in  which  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the  tem- 
perature moderate,  avoiding  both  extremes. 

c* 

Brooder  Houses. 

In  artificial  brooding  there  are  two  systems.  In  one  small  brooders  each  heated  by  its  own 
lamp  are  used.  In  the  other  a  hot  water  or  steam  heater  sends  the  heat  through  a  system  of 
pipes  that  extends  throughout  a  building  constructed  on  the  continuous  bouse  plan. 

A  pipe  system  is  sometimes  used  for  two  or  three  hovers,  but  in  that  case  the  beater  is  small, 
and  the  entire  system  quite  as  easily  portable  as  an  individual  brooder.  Usually  the  building 
for  a  pipe  system  approaches  a  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  may  vwy  much  exceed  it. 

For  individual  brood- 
ers small  buildings  may 
be  used,  or  the  brooders 
may  be  put  in  such  lonp 
buildings  as  are  used  for 
pipe  brooding  systems-- 
a  brooder  with  its  lamp 
being  required  for  each 
section  in  the  building. 

For  those  who  hatch 
only  a  few  small  hatches 
each  year  the  individual 
brooder  in  its  own  small 
building  i  s  generally 
more  satisfactory. 
When  the  chickens  no 
longer  need  the  extra 
beat  the  brooder  may  be 
removed  and  the  build- 


View    of   Part    of   Exterior    of   Brooder    House 
At  Lone  Oak  Poultry   Farm,    Reading,  Mass. 


Ing  used  to  shelter  the  growing  chicks.  Later  it  may  be  used  for  surplus  cockerels  or  even  for 
a  pen  of  laying  or  breeding  fowls. 

Individual  brooders  may  also  be  used  in  such  continuous  houses  as  are  used  for  laying  stock, 
one  brooder  in  each  compartment;  but  the  brooder  house  especially  fitted  for  individual  brood- 
ers is  as  a  rule  used  for  brooding  only,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  pipe  brooder  houses. 

Where  large  numbers  of  chicks  are  to  be  hatched  in  cold  or  cool  weather  I  think  the  long 
brooder  house  with  pipe  heaters  over  the  hovers  is  by  all  odds  the  best  plan. 

We  say,  then,  that  for  growing  winter  chickens,  for  growing  broilers  and  for  all  chicks 
which  must  be  kept  indoors  or  closely  yarded  the  pipe  system  is  preferable  when  operations  go 
beyond  the  number  of  chicks  which  can  be  handled  in  a  few  brooders. 

A  few  years  ago  a  favorite  style  of  brooder  house  arrangement  was  to  build  one  end  of  the 
house  for  nursery  brooders— these  being  individual  brooders — for  the  youngest  chicks  and  use 
the  pipe  system  in  the  other  end.  A  bank  of  pipes  extended  along  the  north  wall  of  the  nursery 
supplementing  the  heat  of  the  individual  brooders.  This  arrangement  was  devised  because  of 
the  general  difficulty  in  keeping  youngest  chicks  under  pipes  warm  through  cold  nights.  Of 
late  years  it  has  been  discovered  that  merely  using  a  heater  or*sufficient  capacity  makes  it  pos- 
sible to  maintain  the  heat  under  the  pipes. 


no 


FIRST    LESSOXS    IX    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


This  house  is  only  3  ft.  high  at 
the  plate  011  south  (front)  side,  and 
5  ft.  from  the  level  of  the  pen  floors 
to  the  apex  of  the  roof.  The  floor 
of  the  passage  in  the  rear  of  the 
pens  is  excavated  to  a  depth  of  2 
ft. 

The  width  of  the  house  is  14  ft., 
the  length  of  each  pen  being  10  ft., 
and  the  inside  width  of  the  walk 
3  ft.  9  in.  Each  pen  is  5  ft.  wide, 
and  is  lighted  by  a  half  window  (6 
lights,  9  x  12)  in  the  middle  of  the 
front  of  the  pen. 

To  support  the  roof  and  carry 
Ground  Plan  and  Cross  Section— Brooder  House  at  Lone  Oak  Poultry  Farm.  tne  partitions  between  the  pens 
there  are  two  upright  pieces  of  2x3  scantling  for  each  partition;  one  at  the  passage,  going  from  the  floor 
of  the  passage  to*  the  apex  of  the  roof,  and  one  a  litlle  forward  of  the  middle  of  the  house,  which  goes 
from  the  floor  of  the  pens  to  the  roof.  Partitions  between  pens  are  of  solid  boards  2  ft.  high.  The  8  in. 
board  extending  from  the  passage  half  way  forward  is  not  a  part  of  partition,  but  a  board  used  to  put 
across  pens  to  keep  small  chicks  close  to  the  hover. 

The  real  trouble  here,  as  so  many  places  in  poultry  keeping,  was  false  economy,  the  desire  to 
keep  close  to  the  limit.  Poultrymen  put  more  chicks  than  they  should  in  a  brooder,  then  tried 
to  keep  the  brooder  warm  through  extreme  cold  weather  with  a  heater  only  equal  to  heating  it 
in  ordinary  cold  weather.  They  have  learned  now  that  it  is  easier  and  cheaper  to  use  a  heater 
that  will  do  the  ordinary  work  required  of  it  without  working  near  up  to  its  capacity  than  to 
try  to  get  the  results  by  overworking  a  smaller  heater. 

In  designs  for  continuous  brooder  houses,  there  has  been  variety  without  end.  Almost 
every  model  of  a  continuous  laying  house,  except  the  scratching  shed  and  full  monitor  top 
plans,  I  have  seen  in  brooder 
houses —  and  these  may 
have  been  used.  The  pre- 
vailing style,  however,  i  s 
the  plain  long  house  with 
double  pitched  roof,  and  the 
types  of  this  style  of  house 
d  o  not  vary  strikingly  i  n 
appearance  or  construction. 
Some  are  full  hHght  (about 
6  ft.)  at  the  sides.  Others 
are  built  lower,  the  front 
wall  being  not  more  than 
three  and  a  half  to  four  feet  - 

high,   and    the  rear    wall  a       II |) 

foot  or  so  high.    In   such  a 

house  the  walk  is  excavated  ••"    '•"  "     " 

to  a  sufficient  depth  to  give    Partition  Between  Pens  and  Passage  in  Lone  Oak  Farm  brooder  Home. 


plenty  of    head    room   over 
it,  while  the   rest    of    the 


This  partition  consists  of   two  light  frames  for  each  pen  covered  with 
inch  mesh  poultry  wire,  and  hung  on  hinges. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  Ill 

house  has  a  floor  only  a  little  higher  than  ground  outside.  The  object  in  building  the  house 
low  is  not  so  much  to  save  cost  as  to  conserve  heat,  the  low  building  being  more  easily  kept 
warm  than  the  higher  one.  Whether  there  is,  on  the  whole,  any  real  economy  in  saving  heat 
in  tbis  way  seems  doubtful.  From  what  I  have  seen  of  the  low  and  the  full  height  houses 
in  operation,  I  consider  the  latter  the  better  plan.  There  are'  several  reasons  for  this: 

1. —  The  house  heats  up  too  much  on  warm  winter  days,  and  becomes  uncom- 
fortable early  in  the  season. 
2. —  It  is  an  inconvenient  house  to  work  in  as  soon  as  you  have  to  get  out  of 

the  walk. 

3  —It  cannot  be  well  adapted  to  other  uses. 

These  reasons  will  seem  strong,  or  not  according  as  those  who  consider  them  look  at  the 
points  involved.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  low  roofed  house  fails  to  meet  several  conditions 
which  may  have  to  be  considered  in  operation,  while  with  heaters  of  ample  capacity  the 
advantage  of  reducing  the  proportion  of  cubic  to  floor  space  is  not  of  such  importance  as 
when  the  smallest  possible  heater  is  used. 

Further,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  may  become  desirable  to  change  the  lines  on  which  a 
business  is  done,  it  is  good  policy  to  use  buildings  adaptable  to  any  line  whenever  it  is  prac- 
ticable to  do  so. 


112  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEELING. 


LESSON     XIV. 


Simple    vs.    So=Called   Scientific  Poultry   Feeding, 


SIMPLE  poultry  feeding  I  would  define  as  following,  or  trying  to  follow,  the  practice  of 
successful  poultry  men. 
It  is  what  might  well  be  called  the  "  natural  method  "  of  feeding;  and  I  might  add 
that  it  seems  quite  the  natural  thing  for  the  poultry  novice  to  begin  to  learn  to  feed  in 
this  way.      The  first  thing   he  wants  to  know   about  feeding  is  how  successful  poultrymen 
feed.    Whenever  he  hears  of  unusually  good,  or  even  of  average  good   results  he  wants  to 
know  how  those  fowls  were  fed  and  housed  —  that  he  may  treat  his  the  same  way. 

In  a  general  way  we  may  say  that  the  instinct  which  prompts  him  to  do  this  is  a  safe  guide. 
In  every  matter  in  life  we  learn  by  doing  as  others  do,  and  learn  most  by  trying  to  follow  those 
who  have  done  Itest. 

As  in  other  matters,  one  who  tries  to  adopt  the  ways  of  another,  or  to  follow  general 
methods,  does  not  always  succeed.  There  may  be  various  reasons  for  this;  different  conditions 
of  which  he  makes  no  account  may  require  a  different  method;  he  may  not  properly  under- 
stand and  apply  the  method  ;  or  he  may  fail  to  adapt  other  features  of  his  management  to  those 
he  tries  to  introduce,  etc.  There  is  no  way  of  guaranteeing  success  by  imitation  of  the  success- 
ful, but,  on  the  whole,  and  in  the  long  run,  that  is  the  way  to  achieve  success,  and,  as  'I  have 
said,  the  instinct  which  prompts  the  beginner  to  find  out  and  try  to  follow  the  methods  of  those 
who  have  succeeded  is  a  safe  guide.  Following  it,  he  may  advance  more  slowly  than  is  agree- 
able, and  his  progress  may  be  marred  by  mistakes,  but  if  he  persists  he  wins  out  in  the  end. 

In  his  efforts  to  learn  how  to  feed  poultry  in  the  simple  natural  way  the  novice  is  perplexed 
by  the  lack  of  explicit,  exact  instruction  on  what  seem  to  him  the  points  where  it  is  most 
necessary  that  instructions  should  be  very  specific,  and  leave  no  chance  for  mistakes.  Most 
important  of  these  is  the  que.-tion  of  quantity.  He  wants  to  know  how  much  to  feed  in  the 
aggregate,  and  the  exact  proportions  of  the  different  foods  used  in  a  complete  or  balanced 
ration. 

He  finds  no  practical  feeder  willing  to  give  him  this  information.  If  one  can  tell  him  just 
how  much  he  feeds  to  a  given  number  of  hens  under  certain  conditions,  he  qualifies  the  infor- 
mation by  adding  that  this  amount  might  not  be  just  what  the  novice's  flock  of  the  same 
number  might  require,  and  that  it  also  might  be  necessary  to  somewhat  vary  the  proportions 
of  the  different  articles  in  the  ration.  He  must  use  judgment,  feed  according  to  results,  con- 
dition of  the  fowls,  etc. 

To  many  novices  this  lack  of  definiteness  is  exasperating.  They  cannot  understand  the 
necessity  for  it,  and  they  conclude  that  the  trouble  is  not  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  specific 
instructions,  but  that  those  who  give  them  qualified  instructions  for  feeding  have  not  observed 
closely  enough  to  be  able  to  be  exact. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEETING.  113 

To  the  novice  in  this  frame  of  mind  comes  the  expert  writer  on  scientific  feeding,  purporting 
to  give  him  in  his  science  of  feeding  precise  and  exact  instructions  as  to  the  feeding  of  fowls 
for  any  and  all  purposes. 

This  science  of  feeding  is  very  interesting,  and  as  long  as  certain  essential  things  are  dis- 
regarded, seems  very  plausible.  Let  me  state  it  briefly  : 

The  Modern  "Science"  of  Feeding. 

The  discussion  of  scientific  feeding  begins  with  the  proposition  that  certain  food  elements  of 
different  character  are  required  to  sustain  life,  promote,  growth,  and  keep  up  the  various 
functional  activities  of  the  body ;  and  that  the  proportion  of  each  of  these  elements  required 
can  be  ascertained  and  expressed  in  mathematical  figures,  which,  in  turn,  may  be  taken  by  the 
poultryman  and  applied  in  his  practice.  It  is  assumed  that  in  this  way  he  may  arrive  at  sure 
results  and  absolute  economy  in  feeding. 

The    Needs   of   an    Animal    Organism. 

The  food  which  a  fowl  takes  into  its  system  serves  these  three  purposes:— 
1. —  To  build  up  and  sustain  the  organism. 
2. —  To  keep  up  the  warmth  of  the  body. 

3.—  To  furnish  energy  —  strength  —  which  is  expended  in  -every  movement. 
Perhaps  as  the  same  classes  of  food  elements  serve  the  second  and  third  purposes  we  can  still 
further  simplify  the  statement  by  saying  that  the  two  principal  functions  of  food  are  :— 
1. —  Nourishment. 
2. —  Heat  and  energy. 

To  provide  for  these  two  wants  we  have  three  kinds  of  food  elements,  technically  known  as 
proteids,  carbohydrates,  and  fats. 

These  elements  are  found  in  varying  proportions  in  the  articles  we  use  for  poultry  foods. 
Without  attempting  a  scientific  description  of  them  I  will  give  the  following  plain  definitions 
suitable  for  the  present  purpose. 

Proteids  (ov  protein).—  Albuminous  or  nitrogenous  matter  occurring  in  different  forms  in 
different  kinds  of  food,  but  having  everywhere  the  same  essential  qualities.     In  grains  it  is  in 
the  form  of  gluten.     In  milk  it  is  casein  ;  in  meat  and  blood,  fibrin  ;  in  bones,  gelatin. 
Carbohydrates.— Carbonaceous  matter,  principally  starches. 
Fats. —  May  be  regarded  as  highly  concentrated,  condensed  carbohydrates. 
These  are  the  principal  food  elements.    Besides  them  all  foods  contain  some   (and  some  a 
great  deal  of)  water,  and  most  foods  contain  mineral  and  fibrous  matter  which  are  mostly 
indigestible. 

The   Theory   of  Scientific    Feeding. 

The  theory  of  scientific  feeding  is  based  on  the  assumed  necessary  relation  of  the  needs  of 
the  fowl  to  the  food  elements  which  are  given  it  to  supply  those  needs. 

Thus  the  scientific  authority  on  poultry  foods  says  that  having  ascertained  just  what  food 
elements,  and  in  what  proportions,  were  required  to  produce  certain  results  with  a  certain 
number  of  fowls,  we  are  able  from  this  data  to  formulate  a  rule  which  will  apply  universally. 
Whether  or  not  this  is  the  fact  we  will  inquire  a  little  further  on. 

The  expert  in  scientific  poultry  feeding,  following  the  lead  of  scientists  in  cattle  (and  in 
human)  feeding  studies,  makes  use  of  two  measurements  of  food  values  which  he  calls 
nutritive  ratio  and  potential  energy. 

By  nutritive  ratio  he  means  the  ratio  of  the  proteids  or  nitrogenous  matter  to  the  combined 
values  of  the  carbohydrates  or  starchy  matter,  and  the  fats,  (the  value  of  which  are  for  the 
purpose  reduced  to  terms  of  carbohydrates). 

By  the  potential  energy  of  a  food  he  means  its  heating  capacity,  its  fuel  value,  which  he 
expresses  in  calories  per  ounce. 

His  science  of  feeding  proceeds  upon  the  principle  that,  having  established  standards  of 
nutritive  ratio  and  potential  energy  as  the  proper  standards,  whatever  combination  of  foods  he 
can  make  that  will  figure  out  this  ratio  and  this  heating  capacity,  will  be  a  complete  or  balanced 
ration,  while  a  ration  that  will  not  figure  out  to  such  standards  is  an  incomplete,  ill  balanced 
ration. 


114  FIRST    LJSSSONS    IN    POULTKY    KEEPING. 

Some    Scientific    Fallacies. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  explain  the  theory  in  every  detail.  Of  more  importance  here  are  cer- 
tain fallacies  promulgated  in  connection  with  the  teachings  of  scientific  feeding.  Chief  of 
these  is  the  oft  repeated  statement  that  a  fowl  fed  on  a  single  grain  —  corn  being  mo*t  often 
used  in  illustration — would  in  time  starve  to  death,  because  corn  did  not  supply  the  elements  it 
needed  in  proper  proportion.  Like  most  fallacies,  this  is  a  perversion  of  the  facts  upon  which 
it  is  supposed  to  rest.  Neither  corn  nor  any  other  single  article  of  food  makes  as  good  a  diet 
for  fowls  as  a  ration  in  which  a  variety  of  grains  is  used.  Nor  is  a  grain  ration,  though  com- 
posed of  many  different  grains,  as  good  as  a  ration  in  which  vegetables  and  meat  are  used  to 
supplement  the  grain  foods,  but  the  bad  effects  of  poor  rations  are  not  so  conspicuous  as  some 
say,  nor  is  the  difference  in  results  always  as  marked  as  some  would  have  us  believe. 

To  show  the  absurdity  of  the  common  opinion  that  corn,  as  compared  with  such  grains  as 
wheat,  oats,  etc.,  is  very  deficient  in  "flesh  forming"  elements,  and  contains  a  dangerous 
surplus  of  fats  and  starchy  elements,  let  us  make  a  few  comparisons,  taking  figures  from  the 
tables  in  "  Poultry-Craft,"  which  were  made  from  U.  S.  government  bulletins,  giving  average 

analyses  of  food  stuffs: 

Nutritive  Potential 

Grain.  Protein.  Carbohydrates.  Fats.  ratio.  energy. 

Corn,  10.4%  70.3%  5%  1:7.9.  106 

Wheat,  11.9%  71.9%  2.1%  1:6.3  102 

Oats,  11.8%  59.7%  5%  1:6.1  96 

Barley,  12.4%  69.8%  1.8%  1:6  100 

Now  it  is  plain  that  ordinary  or  average  corn  has  in  it  a  smaller  percentage  of  protein  than 
any  other  of  the  grains  in  the  list,  and  that  its  nutritive  ratio  is  very  much  wider,  and  its 
potential  energy  higher.  And  if  we  accept  as  right  the  standards  of  nutritive  ratio  and 
potential  energy  given  by  the  writers  on  scientific  feeding,  we  must  admit  that  corn  is  a  very 
bad  and  dangerous  food. 

But  in  regard  to  these  standards  the  position  I  take  is  this:  So  far  as  I  can  discover,  not  one 
of  these  would-be  authorities  has  in  a  scientific  way  established  standards  for  poultry  feeding, 
and  the  standards  which  they  use,  adapted  from  other  lines  of  feeding,  require  combinations 
which  no  practical  feeder  would  think  of  using. 

It  might  be  said  that  this  was  because  of  the  ignorance  of  the  practical  men,  but  as  far  as 
I  am  able  to  learn,  no  "  authority  "  on  scientific  feeding  has  ever  done  any  feeding  that  by  its 
results  attracted  attention  or  made  a  reputation  as  a  good  and  skillful  feeder. 

Leaving  out  of  the  question  then  what  the  "scientists"  say  about  corn  as  com  pared  with 
these  other  grains,  let  us  inquire  what  practical  feeders  find  they  can  do  with  it  in  actual 
practice. 

The  four  grains  mentioned  above  have  certain  physical  characteristics  which  have  to  be  con- 
sidered in  feeding  them.  The  prominent  characteristic  of  corn  is  the  size  of  its  grains,  an 
ordinary  grain  of  corn  being  about  five  times  as  large  as  an  ordinary  grain  of  wheat.  Hence, 
a  fowl  eating  corn  will  pick  up  what  it  wants  (provided  the  supply  is  sufficient)  with  about 
one-fifth  the  effort,  and  in  about  one-fifth  the  time,  that  it  would  require  to  get  a  meal  of  wheat. 
This  means  that  fowls  fed  whole  corn  do  not  take  as  much  exercise  as  they  feed  as  those  fed 
smaller  grains.  In  this  point  we  find  a  reason  why  whole  corn  is  not  the  most  desirable  food 
that  is  independent  of  its  composition.  The  same  objection  would  apply  to  any  other  grain  if 
of  like  size. 

To  overcome  this  objection  to  the  form  in  which  corn  grows  the  corn  is  cracked  to  different 
degrees  of  fineness  for  fowls,  and  used  in  this  form.  I  think  it  would  be  impossible  for  any- 
one to  show  in  practice  any  appreciable  difference  in  results  of  the  use  of  cracked  corn  and 
wheat  in  moderate  weather,  while  in  extreme  hot  weather  It  would  give  less  satisfactory,  and 
in  extreme  cold  weather  more  satisfactory  results  than  wheat,  all  other  constituents  of  the 
ration  remaining  the  same. 

Nature's    Checks    and    Balances. 

From  the  fact  that  under  what  might  be  called  average  conditions  it  makes  no  appreciable 
difference  in  results  whether  corn  (cracked)  or  wheat  is  fed  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude  thit 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  115 

the  differences  between  them  which  analysis  shows  have  not  the  significance  attached  to  them 
by  those  who  consider  wheat  a  good  and  corn  a  bad  food  for  poultry. 

We  have  then  in  a  very  large  class  of  instances  the  same  results  from  rations  which  chem- 
ically show  a  difference  which  if  each  food  element  could  be  used  only  for  its  special  purpose 
should  also  appear  in  the  results. 

Why  does  it  not  appear  in  the  results? 

Because  the  adaptation  of  each  kind  of  food  elements  to  its  special  purposes  is  not  rigid.  In 
the  digestion  and  assimilation  of  food  a  shortage  of  one  kind  of  elements  is  made  up,  within 
limits,  from  an  excess  of  another  kind,  or  failing  that  from  reserves  in  the  system  of  the 
animal  or  fowl.  Just  what  the  limits  are  within  which  the  fowl  can  adapt  the  food  it  takes 
to  its  wants  we  do  not  know. 

We  may  reasonably  conclude  that  they  are  not  fixed  limits,  but  vary  under  different  condi- 
tions and  in  different  fowls.  What  we  do  know  is  that  using  the  common  food  articles  used 
by  poultrymen  in  about  the  proportions  in  which  they  are  mostly  used,  we  are  in  absolutely 
no  danger  of  any  of  the  evils  which  "  scientific  "  writers  on  poultry  feeding  assert  are  sure  to 
result  from  improperly  balanced  rations.  If  feeding  in  this  way  we  have  trouble  it  is  pretty 
sure  to  be  due  to  other  causes  than  the  composition  of  the  ration. 

The    Scientific    Rules     Don't    Work. 

I  have  used  corn  and  wheat  in  the  above  illustration  because  wheat  is  generally  considered 
the  best  single  grain  for  poultry,  and  corn,  though  more  extensively  used  for  poultry  food  than 
all  other  grains  combined,  is  by  many  writers  called  a  very  unsafe  and  bad  poultry  food;  and 
also  because  in  corn  we  have  the  grain  which  is  farthest  from  the  assumed  standards  of  scien- 
tific feeding.  If  comparisons  of  results  of  feeding  wheat  and  corn  in  rations  in  which  each  is 
made  the  exclusive  unground  grain  food  indicate  anything  at  all,  they  show  that  it  is  nearly 
always  possible  for  the  fowl  given  a  sufficient  supply  of  either  to  adapt  it  to  its  needs,  and 
therefore  that  it  is  not  necessary  for  the  poultryman  to  try  to  balance  the  ration  exactly  before 
feeding  it. 

On  the  other  side  it  is  possible  to  show  that  oats,  which  theoretically  are  classed  as  nearest 
the  correct  standard  for  feeding  of  any  grains,  are  not  eaten  well  by  the  fowls  if  they  can  get 
other  grains,  and  unless  the  oats  are  of  much  better  quality  than  it  is  usually  possible  to  get 
in  our  markets,  fowls  will  eat  only  enough  of  them  to  sustain  life.  So  if  we  take  wheat  as 
our  standard  grain  food  and  compare  other  grains  with  it  both  as  to  composition  chemically  and 
as  to  practical  results  in  feeding,  we  find  that  the  food  which  is  theoretically  poorer  is  practi- 
cally better,  and  vice  versa. 

From  which  it  follows  that  the  application  of  the  assumed  feeding  standards  is  not  a  reliable 
working  rule.  Whether  other  standards  could  be  selected  which  would  give  us  a  rule  that 
would  work  accurately  we  need  not  here  inquire.  To  date  they  have  not  been. 

Fixed  Standards    Not   Applicable    to   Varying   Conditions. 

There  is  another  rnostr  important  point  to  consider:  —  Fixed  standards  can  only  exactly  fit 
certain  conditions.  If  it  is  necessary  that  the  feeder  should  exactly  adapt  the  ration  to  the 
needs  of  the  fowl,  it  is  necessary  that  he  should  vary  the  ration  to  suit  varying  conditions,  and 
of  course  be  must  know  just  how  and  how  much  to  vary  it  for  any  given  conditions. 

In  the  simple,  natural  method  of  feeding,  the  feeder's  aim  is  to  give  the  fowls  enough  food 
and  in  such  simple  variety  that  there  will  be  be  no  serious  shortage  of  any  one  element. 
Beyond  this  he  does  not  try  to  go,  but  leaves  it  to  the  appetite  of  the  fowl  to  select  what  pro- 
portions of  each  food  shall  be  taken  into  the  system,  and  to  the  natural  operations  of  the 
digestive  system  to  further  compensate  for  errors  of  appetite. 

The  scientific  feeder  may  say  that  by  his  system  and  by  the  use  of  his  rules  or  his  rations 
the  desired  economies  of  food  are  made  certain,  and  nothing  left  to  the  chances  of  the  fowls' 
appetites  or  functions,  but  this  is  all  theory  that  has  never  been  demonstrated. 

Still  another  obstacle  to  the  practical  application  of  the  methods  of  scientific  feeding  is 
found  in  the  lack  of  uniformity  in  quality  of  poultry  foods.  The  analyses  given  are  average 
analyses.  As  a  matter  of  fact  a  lot  of  corn  may  contain  more  protein  than  the  particular  lot 


116  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

of  wheat  with  which  it  is  compared.  Without  an  analysis  of  every  lot  of  every  article  he 
feeds  the  feeder  does  not  know  how  closely  he  approximates  the  standards  he  tries  to  apply 
in  scientific  feeding,  and  is  in  reality  as  much  in  the  dark  and  leaving  as  much  to  nature  as  one 
who  simply  follows  common  practice. 

The  plain  truth  about  scientific  feeding  as  it  has  been  expounded  for  poultrymen  is  that 
what  there  is  of  it  cannot  be  applied  by  common  poultrymen  under  common  conditions,  and 
that  it  leaves  out  of  consideration  the  variations  in  the  needs  of  fowls  from  day  to  day  which 
must  be  reckoned  with  if  there  is  to  be  anything  like  an  exact  adaptation  of  rations  to  actual 
needs. 

And  the  essential  difference  between  simple  or  natural,  and  scientific  feeding  of  poultry  is 
that  the  first  trusts  much  to  inherent  tastes  and  tendencies  presumed  to  be  implanted  in  the 
organism  by  the  creator,  while  the  other  depends  wholly  on  arbitrarily  assumed  and  arti- 
ficial rules. 

The   Summary    of   the    Whole    Matter. 

In  a  nutshell  the  question  of  scientific  feeding  is  simply  this: 

The  exposition  of  it  has  an  academic  interest,  but  to  attempt  to  put  its  formulas  into  practice 
is  to  attempt  to  work  a  problem  in  which  some  of  the  necessary  factors  are  not  given,  and  can- 
not be  obtained.  Our  science  of  poultry  feeding  is  but  a  "  fragment  of  science." 


LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  117 


How  to  Learn  to   Feed  in  the  Natural  Way. 


To  acquire  skill  in  feeding  fowls  one  must  practice  feeding,  closely  observe  results,  and  use 
his  ju  Jgment.  Suppose  I  tell  a  boy  that  to  project  a  ball  through  the  air  for  a  given  distance 
a  certain  amount  of  energy  must  be  applied,  and  applied  in  such  a  way  that  the  ball,  moving 
with  the  velocity  given  it,  muist  describe  a  certain  arc  as  it  moves  through  the  air.  A  scientist 
who  perhaps  could  not  throw  a  ball  within  two  rods  of  the  spot  he  desired  it  to  reach  might 
have  figured  out  all  about  energy,  velocity,  etc.,  applying  to  the  movement  of  the  ball;  but 
what  g-ood  would  it  do  to  tell  all  this  to  the  boy?  And  what  boy  in  his  senses  wrould  think  of 
<:oing  out  to  play  ball,  and,  as  he  prepared  for  the  first  throw,  stopping  to  say  to  himself,  "I 
must  put  into  this  throw  just  so  much  strength,  and  the  ball  must  leave  my  hand  at  just  such 
an  elevation?"  No,  the  boy  takes  the  ball  and  throws  it  at  the  point  he  wishes  it  to  reach.  The 
accuracy  of  his  aim  depends  mostly  on  his  previous  experience  and  skill  in  that  line.  If  he 
misses,  he  tries  again,  and  without  being  very  conscious  of  its  efforts,  his  mind,  too,  works  all 
the  time,  comparing  each  throw  with  others,  and  estimating  differences  and  gradually  bringing 
the  muscles  under  control  so  that  before  long  the  boy  is  sending  the  ball  to  the  mark  every 
time,  and  he  may  acquire  marvelous  control  of  the  ball,  not  only  in  accurate  throwing  and  in 
speed,  but  in  throwing  it  so  that  its  path  shall  be  eccentric,  or  its  speed  changed  in  seeming 
defiance  of  nature's  laws  as  it  flies  through  the  air.  And  all  this  he  does  without  either  know- 
ing or  caring  anything  about  the  scientific  expressions  of  the  various  features  of  his  perform- 
ance. There  is  practically  no  limit  to  the  number  of  illustrations  that  might  be  made  on  this 
pointo  Every  line  of  work  and  every  sport  abounds  in  them. 

When  men  work  with  machines,  or  with  problems  in  which  all  necessary  quantities  and 
conditions  are  known,  they  may  be  guided  more  by  set  laws  and  rules,  but  even  in  such  cases 
experience  and  trained  judgment  and  skill  are  essential  to  superior  work.  In  handling  live 
stock  it  is  impossible  to  follow  arbitrary  rules  and  get  the  results  the  rules  anticipate  with  the 
uniformity  that  would  justify  such  use  of  rules.  The  poultry  feeder  has  to  learn  by  experi- 
ment and  observation  how  much  to  feed  and  when  and  how  to  vary  his  rations. 

Nothing  Hard  About  It. 

From  what  has  been  said  of  the  composition  of  the  common  grain  foods,  and  of  the  functions 
of  appetite  and  the  capacity  of  the  system  of  the  fowl  to  adapt  the  food  given  it  to  its  require- 
ments, the  reader  may  see  that  experiment  and  observation  on  poultry  feeding  do  not  neces- 
sarily mean  intricate  and  puzzling  processes.  On  the  contrary  they  are  simple  and  easy, 
requiring  only  very  ordinary  attention,  just  such  attention  in  fact  as  must  be  given  to  any 
process  or  work  requiring  some  exercise  of  judgment. 

The  greatest  obstacle  to  learning  to  feed  poultry  well  is  that  so  many  amateurs  are  wholly 
self  trained,  and  are  taught  through  books  and  papers,  and  such  teaching  and  training  cannot 
be  anything  like  as  effective  as  personal  instruction.  In  addition  to  this  the  poultry  keeper  who 
begins  in  mature  life  to  learn  poultry  keeping,  and  who  is  trying  to  learn  and  to  make  it  pay  at 
the  same  time,  feels  the  effect  of  his  errors  and  inefficiency  much  more  than  does  one  who 
learns  while  working  for  someone  else.  That  is  one  reason  why  I  always  urge  people  going 
into  poultry  keeping  to  begin  in  a  small  way  and  increase  very  slowly.  It  takes  time  to  acquire 
skill  in  feeding,  and  it  is  terribly  expensive  to  practice  on  large  stocks  of  fowls. 

Another  thing  to  consider  is  that  the  results  of  feeding  are  sometimes  dependent  upon  or 
affected  by  circumstances  which  the  novice  either  fails  to  see  as  in  any  way  related  to  the  feed- 


118  FJJifT  LSSSO&8    7.V    POULTRY    KEEriXG. 

ing  problem,— or  does  not  see  in  their  true  relation  to  it.  Not  infrequently  the  method;*  he 
adopts  make  good  feeding  difficult,  and  sometimes  some  littie  peculiarity  in  a  person's  way  of 
managing  his  fowls  will,  when  discovered,  account  to  the  experienced  advis>er  for  continued 
poor  results.  Such  peculiarities  and  trifling  errors  are  very  hard  to  locate  through  corre- 
spondence. 

Leave  Out   "Original"   Ideas. 

In  general  I  think  that  a  large  part  of  the  difficulties  of  amateur  feeders  may  be  traced  to 
some  '"original"  ideas  or  combinations  of  methods  that  they  have  introduced  into  their  poultry 
keeping.  To  me  the  easy  assurance  with  which  novices  in  poultry  keeping  go  about  the 
improvement  of  methods  recommended  by  experienced  poultry  keepers  is  a  never  ending  puzzle. 
How  few  of  them  are  willing  to  take  MID  pie  instructions)  and  follow  them  to  the  letter! 

Still,  to  be  fair  to  the  novice,  I  must  admit  that  a  good  deal  of  what  is  written  for  him  about 
poultry  keeping  only  adds  to  his  confusion,  and  as  those  who  know  the  lea>t  about  it  are  usually 
the  most  positive  in  assurances  of  good  results  if  their  instructions  are  followed,  and  therefore 
seem  to  him  the  best  instructors,  he  is  very  apt  to  prefer  the  less  reliable  instructors  and 
instruction  at  first. 

If  a  novice  in  feeding,  (and  by  novice,  in  this  connection,  I  mean  any  one  who  has  not  acquired 
a  fair  skill  in  feeding),  will  follow  the  method  used  by  any  successful  poultryman  right  through. 
he  will  generally  be  getting  fair  results  within  a  short  time.  It  may  be — and  often  is  the  case — 
that  there  are  poor  features,  or  unnecessary  features  in  the  methods  of  the  more  expert  poultry- 
man.  As  to  this,  the  novice  should  not  attempt  to  judge,  or  if  he  forms  an  opinion,  should  not 
make  it  the  reason  for  a  departure  from  the  method,  but  should  learn  from  some  one  of  more 
experience  whether  the  change  he  contemplates  would  work  well. 

Having  adopted  general  methods  of  caring  for  fowls  and  of  feeding  which  have  given  such 
satisfaction  to  some  others  that  we  may  call  them  «•  tested"  methods,  the  novice  should  direct 
all  the  attention  he  gives  feeding  to  making  a  success  of  feeding  by  that  method. 

Let  him  remember  that  whatever  method  he  may  try  will  give  him  the  results  he  seeks  only 
in  proportion  to  the  skill  he  acquires  in  using  it.  There  are  many  good  methods— many  tested 
methods  of  feeding,  but  his  skill  is  as  yet  undeveloped  and  his  capacity  untested.  If  be  changes 
methods  he  simply  begins  over  again,  and  many  a  time  when  success  comes  by  some  method  of 
feeding  adopted  after  a  brief  trial  and  rejection  of  several  others,  that  success  is  not  due  to  that 
particular  method  of  feeding  alone,  but  is  the  result  of  the  whole  experience  acquired,  and 
would  almost  certainly  have  been  attained  sooner  by  persistence  in  the  first  method  adopted. 

*«  Practice  Hakes  Perfect." 

Take  any  good  method  ^there  are  many  of  them)  and  learn  to  use  it.  As  far  as  the  instruc- 
tions given  are  definite,  try  to  follow  them  to  the  letter.  Where  they  tell  you  to  use  your  judg- 
ment, but  give  as  they  usually  do,  some  statement  of  what  should  be  about  right,  begin  by  using 
these  approximate  instructions  and  follow  them  until  you  have  reason  to  suppose  that  some 
variation  from  them  should  be  made.  Then  make  the  variation  slight.  For  instance,  in  feeding 
fowls  what  is  called  **  a  full  feed  "  of  grain,  the  amount  an  average  laying  hen  will  take  is  an 
ordinary  handful— not  a  heaping  handful,  but  what  one  would  grasp  in  the  hand  with  the  hand 
closed  enough  so  that  even  if  turned  over  only  a  few  grains  would  fall.  This  is  a  rough  way  of 
measuring  grain,  but  with  practice  many  poultry  men  Income  surprisingly  accurate  in  measur- 
ing grain  out  in  this  way  as  they  scatter  it  for  the  fowls.  They  know  or  should  know  ho\v 
many  fowls  are  in  each  flock.  If  they  expect  the  grain  to  be  eaten  up  clean,  as  when  fed  on 
bare  ground  or  very  short  litter,  they  give  what  they  think  the  fowl*  will  clean  up.  If  they  are 
feeding  in  deep  litter  they  give  more— as  much  more  as  they  think  necessary  to  let  the  fowls  get 
a  full  feed  of  the  grain  in  the  time  allowed.  The  judgment  as  to  quantity  does  not  have  to  be 
abso  utely  accurate  every  time,  because  as  we  saw  in  considering  scientific  balancing  of  food 
elements,  the  fowl  could  adapt  them  to  its  needs  to  some  extent.  -M>  a  fowlin  *:ood  condition  wiil 
not  suffer  if  occasionally  short-fed,  for  it  has  its  reserves  of  fat  to  draw  upon.  Also  the  fov\  1 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    A'A'/v/Y.Vtf.  719 

occasionally  over- fed  is  not  injured  by  it.  If  the  feeder  "  is  onto  hi?*  job"  he  quickly  notes  .hat 
the  food  is  not  eaten,  or  if  it  is  eaten  the  appetite  is  poorer  at  the  next  meal,  and  he  feeds  short 
for  a  meal  or  two,  or  perhaps  omils  a  meal,  and  the  fowl  is  soon  feeding  right  again. 

Feeling  the  Way. 

To  j;o  back  to  the  novice,  if  feeding  what  he  estimates  to  be  the  average  amount  his  number 
of  fowls  should  get,  they  are  in  good  condition  and  laying  well,  he  may  reasonably  conclude 
that  he  is  feeding  about  right,  and  keep  right  on  giving  that  quantity. 

If  the  fowls  while  in  good  condition,  bright  and  hearty,  do  not  lay  well,  the  natural  conclusion 
is  that  they  need  a  little  more  food,  and  the  ration  should  be  increased.  In  such  a  case  as  this 
it  is  advisable  to  handle  the  fowls  to  ascertain  just  what  condition  they  are  in.  If  rather  thin  in 
flesh  it  is  better  to  increase  a  little  on  every  feed.  If  in  pretty  fair  flesh  it  may  be  better  to 
increase  only  on  one  meal  each  day, — for  if  fed  too  heavily  they  may  fatten  instead  of  beginning 
to  lay  as  desired. 

If  hens  begin  to  show  lack  of  appetite, and  "go  oft' their  feed,"  the  rations  should  be  reduced, 
and  if  a  mash  is  fed  it  is  best  to  make  the  principal  Deduction  in  the  mash,  for  that  is  the  meal 
that  they  get  with  least  effort,  and  exercise  is  one  of  the  best  restoratives  of  condition  and 
appetite 

When  in  doubt  the  novice  should  reread  his  instructions,  and  if  he  fails  to  find  in  them 
information  that  seems  to  suit  the  case,  should  not  hesitate  to  ask  questions.  He  should  also 
try  to  make  himself  a  good  judge  of  food  stuffs,  for  often  the  quantity  to  feed  depends  to  some 
extent  on  the  quality  of  the  feed.  Thus  in  feeding  wheat  I  discovered  a  number  of  years  ago 
what  doubtless  hundreds  had  discovered  before,  and  thousands  since,  that  hard  wheat  fed 
further  than  soft,  and  that  red  wheats, -being  generally  harder,  were  more  economical  poultry 
food  than  white  wheat.  Again,  in  feeding  damaged  foods,  one  must  sometimes  make  allowance 
for  the  damage;  and,  in  feeding  wheat  screenings  containing  other  matter,  must  estimate  the 
amount  of  waste  and  feed  accordingly.  Also  in  feeding  mashes;  though  a  bulky  mash  fills  the 
crop  up  more  quickly,  it  must  be  fed  more  freely  than  a  rich  concentrated  mash,  when  the 
intention  is  to  make  a  full  feed  of  the  mash.  If  we  suppose  that  the  feeder  makes  generally 
what  we  may  call  a  standard  mash,  and  that  in  feeding  it  he  allows  one  large  iron  spoonful  to 
two  fowls,  if  he  makes  a  more  bulky  mash,  that  is,  a  mash  with  a  larger  proportion  of  such 
bulky  and  not  highly  nutritious  stuffs  as  bran  and  clover,  be  must  allow  more.  If  he  makes  a 
hit: lily  concentrated  mash  with  a  large  proportion  of  corn  meal  and  of  beef  scrap  or  other  meat, 
he  must  feed  less  than  the  usual  quantity,  for  his  fowls  accustomed  to  cease  eating  when  the 
crop  has  reached  a  certain  stage  of  distention,  are  very  apt  to  eat  at  first  just  as  much  bulk  of 
the  concentrated  as  of  the  ordinary  mash.  If  they  are  of  robust  digestion  it  may  not  hurt 
them  any.  If  they  are  not  he  may  quickly  have  some  bad  cases  of  indigestion  on  his  hands. 

In  using  the  bulky  mash  he  may  find  that  the  fowls  will  not  eat  more  than  their  usual  bulk 
allowance  of  it.  and  if  this  is  the  case,  and  if  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  get  the  same 
nutrition  as  before,  he  must  increase  on  some  other  feed.  As  the  reader  may  have  guessed 
from  what  has  been  said,  giving  the  mash  more  bulk  is  one  way  of  satisfying  the  appetite  of 
fowls  without  giving  them  more  nutrition  than  they  need.  The  occasior  for  this  depends  on 
the  eating  habits  of  the  fowls,  which  vary  »s  much  as  the  eating  habits  of  people. 

The  Three  Prime  Factors. 

It  would  be  possible  to  make  a  very  long  article  of  this,  and  then  not  have  considered  more 
than  a  very  small  part  of  the  possible  illustrations  of  adjustments  of  feeding.  From  what  has 
been  said  1  think  most  readers  will  see  that  the  important  factors  in  feeding  fowls  are  common 
sense,  familiarity  with  food  articles  and  with  fowls,  and  practice;  and  that  the  feeding  of 
fowls  is  not  a  matter  requiring  special  academic  education,  and  familiarity  with  technical  terms 
and  scientific  methods,  but  a  simple,  every  day  process  in  which  a  person  of  very  limited 
education  and  utter  ignorance  of  "science,"  as  it  applies  to  poultry  feeding,  may  become  highly 
proficient,  and  in  which,  in  fact,  the  most  successful  feeders  are  men  and  women  who  give  no 
attention  to  scientific  expositions  of  feeding  problems. 


120  FIRSI    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


LESSON    XV. 


Poultry   House   Fixtures. 


THE  necessary  fixtures  of  the  poultry  bouse  are: 
1 .    Roosts  —  with  or  without  droppings  boards. 
2.     Feed  troughs,  boxes  or  hoppers. 

3.  Drinking  vessels. 

4.  Nests. 

5.  Receptacles  for  grit,  shell,  etc. 

6.  Dust  boxes  —  in  houses  with  board  floors. 

A  poultry  keeper  may  find  places  and  use  for  all  the  articles  enumerated,  or  he  may  get  along 
with  only  a  few  of  them.  He  may  have  his  few  fixtures  simple  and  inexpensive—  or  may 
make  the  furnishing  of  his  houses  quite  an  item  of  expense  when  compared  with  the  cost  of 
the  house  and  the  value  of  fowls  kept  in  it  and  of  their  product.  He  may  make  all  fixtures 
himself,  may  convert  old  articles  and  utensils  of  various  sorts  to  uses  as  furnishings  for  his 
poultry  houses,  or  he  may  take  his  choice  of  ready  made  articles  that  run  from  plain  to  elabo- 
rate in  construction,  and  from  moderate  to  high  in  price.  On  a  large  plant  there  is  a  decided 
advantage  as  well  as  appropriateness  in  having  the  fixtures  uniform  throughout  the  plant. 
The  poultry  keeper  works  faster  and  easier  when  the  same  operation  is  to  be  performed  in  the 
same,  way  all  through.  On  a  small  plant  it  does  not  make  so  much  difference,  yet  uniformity 
is  always  attractive.  On  the  score  of  appearances,  too,  the  fixtures  should  be  in  quality  in 
keeping  with  their  surroundings.  Shabby  or  makeshift  fixtures  may  not  look  at  all  out  of 
place  in  a  cheap,  roughly  built  house,  but  they  do  look  most  decidedly  misfits  in  a  house  with 
some  pretensions  to  fine  finish.  On  the  other  hand,  fine  fixtures  do  not  go  well  with  very 
plain  houses. 

The  fixtures  for  a  well  finished  house  need  not  be  elaborate.  It  is  possible  to  have  them 
simple  and  plain,  yet  well  made  and  neatly  finished,  and  quite  as  inexpensive  too  as  rougher 
articles  of  the  same  pattern ;  and,  all  things  considered,  the  poultryman  is  wisest  who  plans  his 
house  and  provides  his  furnishings  with  an  eye  to  simplicity,  for  complicated  plans  and  elabo- 
rate fixings  make  it  harder  to  keep  a  house  clean,  and  make  harboring  places  for  the  vermin 
of  various  kinds  which  infest  poultry  houses. 

Droppings  Boards. 

In  the  list  of  fixtures  roosts  are  mentioned  as  with  or  without  droppings  boards.  The  need 
of  the  droppings  board  will  depend  on  the  methods  of  the  poultry  keeper.  If  be  keeps  his 
bouse  close  and  finds  it  advisable  to  remove  droppings  daily,  or  every  few  days,  he  will  find  it 
more  satisfactory  to  use  droppings  boards.  If  he  keeps  bis  bouse  open,  and  can  allow  the 
droppings  to  accumulate  under  the  roosts  as  long  as  they  make  no  odor,  he  should  leave  out 
the  droppings  boards. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  121 

Some  of  the  farmers  of  Rhode  Island  divide  the  floors  of  their  poultry  houses  in  the  middle, 
(the  roosts  being  at  one  end  and  the  door  at  the  other)  by  a  board  set  on  edge.  A  cart  load  of 
sand  is  put  in  the  half  next  the  door  in  the  fall.  At  intervals  through  the  winter  a  few  shovel- 
fuls  of  this  are  scattered  over  the  droppings  on  the  floor  at  the  other  side  of  the  board.  By 
spring  all  the  sand  has  been  moved,  and  is  mixed  with  the  accumulation  of  droppings  for  the 
entire  winter,  and  the  compost  is  carted  off  at  the  convenience  of  the  farmer. 

In  these  houses  the  roosts  occupy  about  half  the  house.  In  the  ordinary  poultry  house  the 
roosts,  according  to  number,  extend  two  to  three  feet  from  one  wall,  usually  the  rear  wall. 
Many  poultrymen  put  a  board  on  edge  just  in  front  of  the  roosts  to  keep  the  droppings  from 
being  scattered  over  the  floor  and  the  litter  in  front  out  of  the  droppings,  and  allow  the  drop- 
pings to  remain  for  weeks  without  removing.  If  the  droppings  are  of  normal  consistency  and 
the  earth  of  the  floor  or  an  applied  absorbent  takes  care  of  the  moisture  in  them,  and  if  the 
house  is  thoroughly  ventilated,  there  is  no  objection  to  this.  But  if  droppings  are  soft  and 
watery,  or  any  fowls  are  sick,  or  if  either  for  want  of  proper  absorbents  or  lack  of  ventilation 
the  smel  1  of  the  droppings  becomes  objectionable  they  should  be  removed.  To  have  stated  times 
for  cleaning  up  is  well,  but  the  poultrymau  should  remember  that  his  rules  are  made  for  the 
degree  of  cleanliness  he  wishes  to  preserve,  and  that  the  prime  thing  is  to  preserve  that  degree 
of  cleanliness.  He  should  clean  as  often  as  necessary.  His  rules  merely  represent  what  his 
general  practice  determines  is  necessary. 

The  board  in  front  of  the  roosts  may  be  left  out  and  the  hens  allowed  to  scratch  the  litter 
back  over  the  droppings.  This  is  the  practice  that  I  prefer.  The  droppings  will  not  be 
worked  forward  to  any  noticeable  extent  on  a  littered  floor,  for  the  hens  scratch  mostly  away 
from  the  light,  and  pile  the  litter  up  at  the  back  of  the  house.  The  coarser  litter  may  be 
thrown  forward  with  a  fork,  leaving  finely  broken  stuff  to  mix  with  the  droppings,  and  the 
mass  may  lie  for  weeks  without  any  odor  from  it  being  discoverable.  In  very  steady  cold 
winters  I  have  let  the  droppings  lie  four  months.  In  warmer  winters  have  found  it  necessary 
to  remove  often,  but  rarely  oftener  than  once  in  four  or  five  weeks. 

If  droppings  boards  are  used  they  should  have  smooth  upper  surface,  be  wide  enough  to 
receive  all  droppings  from  the  fowls  as  they  sit  on  the  roosts,  and  unless  they  have  an  unusually 
wide  margin  would  have  a  strip  on  the  front  edge  to  keep  droppings  from  being  scattered. 
The  droppings  board  under  a  single  roost  should  be  20  to  24  in.  wide;  under  a  double  roost 
30  to  36  in. 

The  board  should  be  8  to  10  in.  lower  than  the  roosts.  It  is  generally  placed  level.  Occa- 
sionally it  is  made  on  an  incline  to  allow  the  droppings  to  roll  off,  but  most  poultrymen  prefer 
to  clean  the  droppings  from  the  level  board.  If  droppings  are  soft  it  is  necessary  that  boards 
should  be  kept  well  sprinkled  with  some  absorbent  such  as  dry  earth  or  sand  or  land  plaster; 
coal  ashes  and  airslaked  lime  will  answer,  but  the  articles  first  mentioned  are  better. 

If  the  manure  is  to  be  sold  for  tanning  purposes  no  absorbent  can  be  used  on  the  boards,  and 
as  they  quickly  become  saturated  with  the  water  from  the  droppings,  the  droppings  boards  in 
houses  from  which  manure  is  saved  for  tanning  are  often  repulsive  in  appearance  even  when 
supposed  to  be  clean. 

Roosts. 

The  roosts  in  a  poultry  house  should  be  all  together,  all  on  the  same  level,  and  as  low  as  may 
be  without  depriving  the  fowls  of  the  use  of  the  floor  space  below  them.  The  old  ladder-like 
arrangement  of  roosts  was  a  bad  one.  The  fowls  would  crowd  for  the  top  perches,  crowd 
each  other  off,  and  in  such  accidents  and  in  jumping  from  the  upper  roosts  in  the  morning 
many  fowls  were  injured.  Usually  one  or  two  roosts  the  length  of  one  side  of  the  apartment 
are  all  that  a  pen  of  fowls  require.  The  Rhode  Island  farmers  alluded  to  above  have  roosts  In 
half  the  house,  but  their  fowls  are  expected  to  be  out  doors  most  of  the  time,  the  snow  rarely 
lying  long  there.  The  conditions  in  their  houses  when  the  hens  are  occasionally  snow-bound 
are  not  the  best. 

The  form  of  the  roost  is  not  of  as  much  importance  as  many  suppose.  The  primitive  roosts 
were  round  poles,  and  some  still  insist  that  they  are  better  than  squared  roosts.  Evidence  to 
support  this  proposition  is  not  abundant.  Wide  flat  roosts,  three  or  four*  Inches  wide,  seem  to 


122 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


give  the  best  general  satisfaction,  though  a  good  many  use   roosts  only  two  inches  wide   and 
either  flat  or  more  or  less  rounded  on  the  upper  side. 

Whatever  the  upper  surface  of  the  roost,  it  should  be  thick  enough  to  sustain  the  weight  of 
the  fowls  without  bending  or  breaking.  An  inch  board  will  answer  for  short  roosts,  or  for 
roosts  for  light  fowls  up  to  about  8-foot  lengths.  For  heavy  fowls  a  roost  8  ft.  long  and  4 
in.  wide  should  be  quite  2  in.  thick.  A  roost  of  such  dimensions  and  length  needs  support 

only  at  the  ends,  but 
longer  roosts  should 
have  support  in  the 
middle  as  well.  The 
roost  should  be 
strong  enough  and 
its  supports  such  that 
it  remains  level  and 
firm  when  filled  with 
fowls.  A  roost  that 


sags  is  likely  to  break , 
ami    some    of    the 
most 


Strip  Attached  to  Wall  to  Support  Ends  of  Roosts. 

fowls  might  in   such  event,  be  badly  hurt.      Besides   the   sagging,  springing  roost 
uncomfortable,  as  any  one  may  discover  by  watching  the  fowls  on  it. 

For  supports  for  roosts  we  have  quite  a  variety.  I  use  at  the  ends  simple  strips  as  shown 
in  the  cut,  with  notches  in  them  to  hold  the  roosts  in  place.  These  strips  are  fastened  to  the 
walls  with  screws,  and  are  easily  taken  down  when  the  house  is  cleaned.  In  fact  all  the 
fixtures  in  my  houses  are  such  that  a  compartment  can  be  stripped  bare  in  a  very  few 
minutes,  a  matter  of  considerable  importance  when  fighting  ^ 
lice.  ^ 

Just  here  let  me  say  that  with  reasonable  cleanliness  ami 
healthy  hens  given  opportunity  to  dust  themselves,  I  have 
never  had  any  trouble  with  lice  in  the  houses.  But  because 
of  the  number  of  persons  reporting  it  as  impossible  to  get  rid 
of  lice  though  they  were  very  thorough  in  treating  the  prem- 
ises with  that  end  in  view,  I  did,  several  years  ago  let  my 
buildings  get  literally  alive  with  red  mites.  Then  stripping 
them  of  fixtures,  whitewashing  the  walls,  and  using  insect- 
icides on  roosts  and  nests,  I  had  no  trouble  in  clearing  the 
premises  of  mites  in  short  order.  The  way  the  houses  were 
built  and  furnished  made  the  work  easy.  I  would  not  care 
to  take  the  job  of  cleaning  some  nouses  I  know  of  mites. 

For  a  middle  support  for  long  roosts  I  use  a  similar  strip 
attached  by  one  end  to  the  rear  wall,  and  by  the  other  to  a  strip 
hanging  from  a  rafter. 

There  are  severaJ  styles  of  roost  brackets,  (all  I  believe  of 
the  anti-louse  type,  with  oil  cups  attached),  on  the  market 
that  are  very  good. 

Some  poultrymen  attach  the  roosts  to  strips  which  hinge  to 
the  rear  wall,  so  that  the  two,  or  more,  roosts  together  swing 
back  against  the  wall  during  the  day. 

Where    droppings    boards    are    used   the    roosts  may   lie 
attached  to  the  walls   as  just  described,  or  may   rest  on  the         v~J''</7~<'         "" // 7'7 'tyS 
droppings  boards.    Various  kinds  of  iron  and  wooden  legs  or  Method  o/  Supporting  Long  Jioosts  at 
standards  to  support  roosts  above  the  droppings  boards  have  Middle. 

been  devised.  I  think  it  may  be  said  that  in  general  the  supports  from  the  board  interfere 
more  or  less  with  the  removal  of  the  droppings,  especially  when  the  ends  of  several  roosts  rest 
on  the  same  support. 

So  far  we  have  been  considering  only  plain  straight  roosts.    Quite  a  number  of  ingenious 


FIItST    LESSONS    IN    POULTEY    KEEPING. 


123 


arrangements  designed  to  prevent  crowding  on  the  roosts  have  been  devised  and  reported  as 
highly  satisfactory,  but  these  rarely  take  with  any  but  the  inventors.  In  fact,  I  could  not  now 
name  a  single  one  that  had  gained  any  popularity.  There  is  rarely  serious  crowding  on  the 
roosts  if  roost  room  is  ample  and  the  roosts  on  a  level.  Give  fowls  an  allowance  of  a  foot,  or 
quite  that,  of  roost  room  each,  and  you  will  have  little  trouble  with  crowding.  As  hens  sit 
close  on  the  roost  they  don't  occupy  so  much  room,  but  some  allowance  must  be  made  for 
opportunity  to  shift  positions  and  get  up  and  down. 

Feed    Troughs,   Boxes  and  Hoppers. 

Most  of  the  feed  troughs  used  are  very  simple.    The  accompanying  cut  shows  cross  sections 
of  the  styles  most  commonly  used.    The  V-shaped  trough  and   the  single  trough  with   low 

straight  sides  are  oftenest  seen,  but  I  think  the  double 
reversible  trough  with  straight  sides  is  the  best  of  all.  Its 
superiority  is  marked  on  a  large  plant. 

Many  different  patterns  of  troughs  have  been  devised  to 
keep  the  fowls  out  of  the  troughs  and  to  keep  them  from 
crowding  while  feeding.  Some  of  these  are  shown  in 
accompanying  illustrations.  I  have  used  a  good  many  such 
troughs,  but  went  back  for  good  long  ago  to  the  open 
troughs  as  much  easier  to  feed  in. 

I  discovered  accidentally  a  few  years  ago  that  it  was 
much  easier  to  feed  fowls  in  short  wide  troughs  than  in 
long  narrow  ones.  I  needed  some  additional  troughs,  and 
being  pressed  for  time,  thought  I  would  make  shift  for 
awhile  with  a  few  of  the  shallow  boxes  in  which  small 
potted  plants  are  sold,  which  I  happened  to  have  on  hand. 
These  boxes  are  about  a  foot  wide  and  16  to  18  in.  long, 
the  sides  being  about  2  in.  high.  I  allow  one  such  box  to 
8  or  10  fowls,  and  find  that  with  the  boxes  a  few  feet  apart 
I  can  throw  or  drop  mash  into  them  from  a  spoon  or  shake 
it  from  the  pail  much  easier  than  into  narrow  troughs,  and 
do  it  so  quickly  that  the  flock  is  fed  before  the  crowding 
begins.  I  am  still  using  some  of  these  boxes  and  some  nar- 
row troughs,  and  the  advantage  of  the  wide  short  trough 
seems  as  plain  as  ever.  Though  I  have  not  tried  it,  I  think 
a  box  a  foot  square  would  answer  for  just  as  many  hens  as 
the  oblong  boxes  I  have.  Occasionally  when  feeding  a  flock 

of  chicks  I  find  that  they 
have  outgrown  their  trough 
accommodations.  I  give 
them  some  mash  i  n  t  h  e 
earthen  saucers  I  use  for 
water,  if  those  happen  to  be 

empty,  and  I  notice  that  nearly  half  as  many 
chicks  as  are  pushing  and  crowding  around  a 
trough  three  or  four  feet  long,  will  feed  com- 
fortably and  quietly  in  a  circle  around  an  8  in. 
saucer.  The  reason  is  easy  to  discover  if  you 
watch  the  chicks  for  a  few  minutes.  At  a  long 
'.  trough  the  fowls  and  chicks  are  constantly  chang-^ 
ing  positions.  At  a  short  box  or  round  pan  all" 
the  food  is  within  reach  of  all  the  fowls  about  it 
at  the  same  time,  and  there  is  no  inducement  to 
Protected  Feed  Troughs.  move. 

Sometimes  the  feed  trough  is  attached  at  one  end   by  a  hinge  to  the  wall  of  the  house,  and 
when  not  in  use  is  raised  and  secured  in  position  against  the  wall.  The  advantage  of  this  is  not 


Cross  Sections  of  Feed  Troughs. 
A  v-shaped  trough,   a  board  fixed  on 
edge  to  keep  fowls  out  of  trough.    B 
shallow    box    trough.     C    double   or 
reversible  box  trough. 


124 


FIEKT    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


as  great  as  would  be  supposed,  for  dirt  and  litter  collect  between  the  trough  and  the  wall,  and 
-when  the  trough  is  let  down  a  good  part  of  the  dirt  is  likely  to  drop  into  the  trough,  necessitating 
raising  it  again  to  allow  this  dirt  to  drop  out.  Taking  one  thing  with  another,, more  poultry 
men  prefer  the  loose  trough,  and  though  some  hang  the  troughs  up  on  pegs  or  large  nails  when 
not  in  use,  more  leave  them  on  the  floor  all  the  time. 
A  fixed  feed  trough  in  or  next  the  passage  is  sometimes  used,  but  this  arrangement  is  quite 


1ns. 
lar 

J 

"»* 

'* 

/       ' 

/ 

>een   more  than   one 
!»  1  a  n  t    in    which  it 
had    been    installed 
where    the    feeding 
mash     was    fed    in 
movable    troughs    in 
the  pens. 
For    feeding    d  r  y 
grains  i  n  bulk,    and 
ground    feed    stuft's 
dry  self-feeding  hop- 
pers   are    much   bet- 
ter than  troughs,  and 
if  feeding  is  regularly 
done  in  this  way  hop- 
pers should  be  used. 
The  illustrations  show 
different  methods  of 
constructing  hoppers. 
T  he    size    required 
depends  on    the  size 
of  the    flock  and  the 
frequency  of    f  ee  d- 
free  range,  use  hoppers 

•             ' 

i 

\  \    \   ''••*''••• 

f.y.l.                                            Kj-21. 

Dr.  Cottage's  Hopper  for  Dry  Feed—  Five  Compartments. 
Fig.  1—  Cross  Section.    Fig.  2—  Front  View. 
'.    Some  poultry  keepers  keeping  hens  on  the  colony  system,  with 
ge  enough  to  hold  a  bag  of  grain. 

Drinking  Vessels. 

Of  these  there  is  a  great  variety  made  especially  for  fowls,  and  a  still  greater  variety  made 
ior  other  or  general  purposes  are  used  for  drinking  vessels  in  the  poultry  yard. 

Of  the  drinking  fountains  made  especially  for  poultry,  some  are  stone  ware;  some  of 
earthenware;  some  of  metal,  usually  galvanized  iron.  Most  of  them  are  of  the  self-feeding 
pattern,  a  receptacle  for  water  over  a  shallow  pan  into  which  it  feeds  by  pressure,  keeping  the 
p:tn  full  as  long  as  the  water  in  the  reservoir  holds  out.  Some  have  reservoir  and  saucer  in 
ono  piece,  others  in  two  pjeces,  that  they  may  be  separated  and  more  easily  cleaned. 

While  a  great  many  such  drinking  fountains  are  in  use,  the  greater  number  of  poultrymen 
eeem  to  prefer  an  open  vessel,  at  least  for  adult  fowls.  For  chicks  perhaps  the  majority  prefer 
eelf-feeding  fountains  with  shallow  pans  into  which  the  chicks  cannot  get.  These  fountains 
too  are  better  for  fowls  having  large  crests  and  beards  or  combs  and  wattles. 

For  an  open  drinking  vessel  for  fowls  or  good  sized  chicks,  almost  anything  that  will  hold 
the  required  quantity  of  water  will  answer.  I  use  mostly  6  qt.  wooden  puils,  but  have  a  gal- 
vanized iron  pan  or  two,  and  one  old  porcelain  lined  open  kettle.  On  one  of  the  largest  plants 
in  this  vicinity  all  the  drinking  vessels  are  porcelain  lined  iron  kettles  holding  about  a  gallon 
each.  On  another  plant  stone  jars  of  about  the  same  capacity  are  used.  On  a  farm  I  visited 
a  few  years  ago,  I  saw  shallow  cast  iron  pans,  as  I  remember  about  2£  or  3  in.  deep  and  8  in. 
square,  which  the  owner  had  had  cast  at  a  nearby  foundry  for  that  purpose.  The  cost  was 
I  believe  about  15  cents  each,  but  after  this  lapse  of  time  I  would  not  say  positively. 

As  between  closed  and  open  drinking  vessels  the  latter  seem  to  be  preferred  by  most  poultry 
keepers,  except  as  noted  above.  Theoretically  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  novice  the  covered 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


125 


vessel  is  better  because  it  is  supposed  to  keep  the 
water  cleaner.  Practically  the  open  vessel  is  easier 
to  keep  clean,  and  further  is  less  dangerous  to  the 
health  of  the  fowls  when  not  absolutely  clean, 
because  air  and  light,  the  great  purifiers,  get  Into  it 
as  they  do  not  into  a  closed  vessel.  An  objection  some 
— mostly  novices— make  to  the  use  of  open  vessels  is 


Hopper  for  Fowls.  Hopper  for  Chicks. 

And-  Waste  Feed  Hoppers  Designed  by  Subscriber  to  F.-f. 

that  occasionally  the  fowls  void  their 
droppings  into  the  water.  It  must  be 
admitted  that  the  sight  of  a  drinking 
vessel  so  polluted  offends  the  senses, 
but  as  a  matter  of  fact  neither  fowls 
nor  other  animals  are  as  nice  as  refined 
human  beings  about  matters  of  this 
kind,  and  no  harm  results  from  occa- 
sional pollutions  of  this  kind  which  are 
removed  at  the  next  watering.  As  a 
further  matter  of  fact,  the  dust  which 
in  any  poultry  house  or  yard  will  often 
get  into  a  drinking  vessel,  whether 
open  or  protected,  is  as  dirty  and  more 
dangerous.  By  using  open  vessels  that 
Dark  Nest  to  Hang  on  Wall.  are  as  deep  as  the  fowlg  can  drink 

A— Exterior  View.    B— Interior  View,    a— block  to  hold  nest  ,          ,  .         .  . 

in  place.  from,  and  no  larger  in  circumference 

than    necessary  to  keep    them  from  being  easily  upset,  very   little  droppings  will  get  into 
them.      It  is  the  wide  shallow  pan  that  catches  the  droppings. 

Nests  for  Laying  Hens. 

dumber  of  Nests  Needed. — The  old  method  was  to  provide  almost  as  many  nests  as  there 
were  hens  in  the  flock.  Indeed  I  have  before  me  an  old  drawing  of  a  model  poultry  house  for 
twenty-four  hens  in  which  there  were 
twenty-four  nests.  It  was  early  observed 
and  continues  to  be  observed,  that  no 
matter  how  many  nests  are  provided,  the 
hens  usually  all  go  to  a  certain  few  of  the 

nests,  and  rather  than  lay  elsewhere  will  Dark  Nests  to  Qo  Under  Droppings  BoarM. 

crowd  on  those  nests  or  sit  near  them  waiting  their  turns. 


126  FIRST  LESSORS    IN    rOUL'l'lil'    KEET1XG. 

Most,  poultry  keepers  still  continue  to  provide  many  more  nests  than  are  used.  I  find  a  nest 
to  every  five  or  six  bens  enough,  and  have  often  allowed  only  one  nest -to  seven  or  eight  hens, 
say  three  nests  in  a  pen  of  twenty  to  twenty-five  hens,  and  found  the  allowance  satisfactory, 
even  when  the  hens  were  laying  well.  That,  however,  depends  on  the  flock.  Sometimes  all  the 
hens  iu  a  flock  are  quick  layers,  again  they  are  slow  to  very  slow,  or  the  laying  habits  of  the 


Triple  Set  Skeleton  Nests  in  Place  in  Poultry  House. 

hens  are  very  uneven.  So  I  allow  as  a  rule  one  nest  to  a  pen  of  three  or  four  hens,  two  to  a  pen 
of  six  to  twelve  hens,  and  from  four  to  six  to  a  pen  of  twenty  to  twenty-five  hens,  according  as 
they  seem  to  need  them. 

Styles  of  Nests. 

The  nest  boxes  should  be  movable.  Whenever  more  than  one  nest  Is  necessary  it  is  custom- 
ary to  make  the  ne.-ts  in  sections  of  two  or  more.  Sometimes  these  are  built  under  the  drop- 
pings board,  but  even  here  the  construction  may  and  should  be  such  that  the  nests  are  easily 
moved  and  taken  out  of  the  house  for  thorough  cleaning  and  airing. 

It  has  been  a  very  common  practice  to  make  and  place  the  nests  so  they  would  be  quite  darko 
This  is  done  in  part  because  the  hen  is  supposed  to  prefer  a  secluded  place  to  lay,  and  In 
part  to  prevent  the  development  of  the  egg  eating  habit  among  the  hens. 

To  economize  floor  space  as  much  as  possible,  it  is  customary  to  place  the  nests  on  the  wall 
several  feet  from  the  floor;  or  if  they  are  put  under  the  droppings  boards,  these  are  usually 
placed  high  enough  to  allow  the  hens  the  use  of  the  floor  below  the  nests,  though  sometimes 
in  a  house  with  low  north  wall  and  roosts  next  this  wall,  the  nests  are  on  the  ground,  with  the 
droppings  board  forming  the  top  of  them. 

Leghorns  and  other  high  flyers  will  go  as  a  rule  to  the  highest  nest  accessible.  I  once 
nailed  a  small  box  in  a  corner  close  up  to  the  roof  in  a  pen  of  Silver  Dorkings,  and  all  but  one 
or  two  very  heavy  hens  would  go  to  that  nest  though  there  were  others  more  accessible. 
Hens  of  the  larger  breeds  will  often  go  to  the  corners  on  the  floor  of  the  poultry  house  to 
lay,  no  matter  how  many  or  how  attractive  nests  are  provided  for  them  elsewhere.  It  is 
very  difficult  to  break  hens  of  that  habit.  In  many  of  them  it  is  hereditary,  and  the  best  thing 
to  do  is  to  either  put  a  box  —  a  common  soap  box  is  good  —  on  the  floor  in  the  corner,  and  let 
them  use  it  for  a  nest,  or  by  fastening  a  nest  to  the  wall  a  few  inches  from  the  floor  try  to 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING, 


127 


induce  them  to  lay  in  it.  After 
they  begin  to  lay  in  this  nest  it  may 
be  raised  gradually  from  the  floor 
until  it  is  at  the  usual  height. 
Some  hens,  however,  will  make 
their  nest  on  the  floor  as  near  the 
corner  as  they  can,  no  matter  what 
arrangements  are  made  to  tempt 
them  to  do  otherwise,  and  all  that 
can  be  done  with  them  is  to  put  a 
low  box  in  the  corner  so  that  the 
eggs  will  not  be  rolled  out  or  cov- 
ered up. 

For  several  years  I  have  been 
using  nests  reproductions  of  photo- 
graphs of  which  are  shown  here- 
with. These  are  my  own  design, 
and  as  far  as  I  know  none  like 
them  are  in  use  except  such  as 
were  made  from  them.  I  like  them 
better  than  anything  I  have  used, 
and  poultrymen  who  see  them 
seem  to  take  to  them.  The  object 
was  to  make  nest  boxes  that  were 
as  near  skeletons  as  possible,  easy 
to  keep  clean,  and  easy  to  knock 
apart  for  thorough  cleaning  if  that 
seemed  necessary,  and  put  together 
again.  In  use  in  my  houses  these 
nests  have  seemed  to  have  some 
desirable  effects,  some  good  points 
which  I  had  not  anticipated, 
chief  of  which  is  that  with  them 
the  hens  seem  to  have  no  favor- 
lies,  but  go  to  one  as  readily  as  to  another.  "When  a  hen  gets  up  on  the  front  rail  and 
finds  one  nest  occupied  and  the  next  vacant  she  almost  always  steps  promptly  into  the  empty 
nest.  Just  why  she  should  do  this  I  cannot  say,  unless  it  is  because  the  divisions  between  the 
nests  being  so  low  in  front,  as  long  as  she  remains  perched  on  the  edge  of  the  nest  the  empty 
nest  is  right  before  her  eye. 

The  nests  in  most  of  my  houses  are  on  the  side  wall  or  cross  partition  near  the  front  where 
they  get  the  full  light,  yet  I  have  not  found  the  hens  more  disposed  to  go  to  the  corners  of  the 
house  to  lay  than  when  I  tried  to  humor  them  by  giving  them  secluded  nests,  and  I  have  had 
•very  little  egg  eating  in  them.  I  find  eggs  broken,  but  not  touched  many  times  oftener  than 
I  find  evidences  of  broken  eggs  having  been  eaten. 

It  would  l>e  premature  to  consider  any  general  principle  or  fact  as  proved  by  my  observations 
on  these  nests,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  in  trying  to  devise  an  easy  nest  to  clean  I  inad- 
vertently stumbled  on  a  point  which  is  of  some  use,  i.  e.,  that  the  nest  on  the  floor,  entered 
from  the  floor,  and  the  nest  with  running  board  in  front  to  accommodate  the  hens,  are  the  great 
encouragers  of  egg  eating,  because  in  such  nests  the  hens  have  better  opportunities  to  spy  out 
the  condition  of  things  in  the  nest,  and  also  the  waiting  hens  have  a  better  vantage  ground 
from  which  to  quarrel  with  the  hens  in  the  nest  than  in  nests  like  these,  or  boxes  nailed  to  the 
wall.  The  hen  in  this  nest  has  all  the  advantage  of  position. 

My  nest  boxes  are  made  with  the  bottom  a  little  narrower  than  the  ends,  and  the  strips  next 
1t  on  front  and  back  are  placed  about  half  an  inch  from  the  bottom  edge  of  the  end  and 
division  pieces.  This  leaves  a  space  too  narrow  for  an  egg  to  go  through,  yet  wide  enough  to 


Double  Skeleton  Nests. 

The  nests  as  photographed  were  attached  to  an  outer  door 
to  get  full  light  and  a  position  that  would  show  construction'. 
This  frame  is  12  in.  wide; 28 in.  long.  Ends  10  in.  high  in  front, 
18  in.  high  at  back.  Front  strip  4  in.  wide ;  2  back  strips  2  in. 
wide. 


128  FIRST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

drop  through  any  nest  material  or  dirt  that  caunot  be  easily  lifted  out  with  the  hand.  There 
are  in  these  nests  no  coiners  formed  by  three  sides,  no  places  for  dirt  to  muss  and  collect. 
The  nests  can  be  cleaned  inside  without  removing  them,  or  detaching  any  part  of  them. 

Receptacles  for  Grit,  Shell,  etc. 

Where  supplies  of  all  these  accessories  are  kept  constantly  before  the  fowls,  the  best  way  to  do 
is  to  have  self-feeding  hoppers  with  as  many  compartments  as  there  are  articles  used.  Usually 
there  are  three — grit,  shell,  and  charcoal.  I  use  only  shell,  and  for  it  have  small  boxes  nailed  to 
the  wall  near  the  door  in  each  house,  just  high  enough  from  the  floor  to  let  the  fowls  get  at  the 
contents  easily.  If  I  had  more  low  Is  or  used  more  of  these  accessories  I  would  use  hoppers 
for  them,  but  we  have  old  butter  boxes  more  than  enough  for  the  purpose,  so  what's  the  use  of 
buying  or  making  hoppers?  ' 

As  to  the  use  of  these  articles :  Shell  is  generally  agreed  to  be  indispensable.  Grit  and  char- 
coal are  so  considered  by  the  majority  of  poultrymen,  but  I  am  free  to  say  that  in  my  own  yards 
I  have  never  found  any  advantage  in  the  use  of  charcoal.  I  used  a  good  deal  years  ago,  quit 
because  I  could  see  no  benefit  from  it,  and  have  never  been  able  to  see  that  my  fowls  suffered 
for  want  of  it.  Advocates  of  charcoal  with  whom  I  have  discussed  this  will  insist  that  the 
fowls  would  be  better  for  it,  but  that  is  begging  the  question. 

Grit  I  used  with  shell  until  a  few  years  ago,  and  quit  it  because  I  found  that  when  constantly 
and  liberally  supplied  with  shell  the  fowls  hardly  touched  the  grit. 

I  would  not  conclude  from  my  experience  that  no  fowls  needed  grit  and  charcoal,  but  it 
seems  very  plain  to  me  that  mine  do  not.  Fowls  managed  differently  might,  and  of  course  mine 
might  get  in  condition  that  would  require  them.  So  while  personally  I  discard  the  two  articles 
mentioned,  as  I  leave  out  some  of  the  tasks  of  poultry  keeping  that  are  generally  done  on  the 
"  better  be  sure  than  sorry  "  principle,  I  don't  advise  anyone  else  to  do  so.  I  merely  say  that 
these  things  do  not  seem  to  be  always  essential,  and  that  if  a  man  can  have  confidence  enough 
in  his  own  judgment  to  determine  when  they  are  needed,  it  is  not  necessary  for  him  to  con- 
stantly supply  articles  or  regularly  perform  tasks  merely  to  be  sure  that  he  does  not  err  through 
omission  or  neglect.  Each  one  can  easily  determine  for  himself  how  much  grit  or  charcoal  his 
fowls  will  take,  and  to  what  extent  they  seem  benefited  by  them,  or  to  suffer  from  lack  of  them. 

Dust  Baths. 

In  a  house  with  an  earth  floor,  no  special  dust  bath  is  needed.  Clear  away  the  litter  occa- 
sionally from  a  space  near  the  door  or  window,  where  the  sunlight  falls  on  the  floor,  see  that 
the  earth  here  is  loose,  and  the  fowls  will  prefer  such  a  place  to  the  old  fashioned  dust  bath. 
This  for  winter.  For  other  seasons  you  need  do  no  more  than  fork  up  a  little  spot  here  and 
there  in  the  yards. 

Where  the  houses  have  not  earth  floors  dust  baths  must  be  provided.  They  may  be  made  by 
putting  a  board  diagonally  across  a  corner  and  partly  filling  the  enclosed  triangular  space  with 
dry  earth  ;  or  the  enclosed  space  may  be  square  or  rectangular  in  form,  two  boards  joining  at  an 
angle  which  projects  into  the  floor  being  required  to  make  the  two  sides  of  this  dust  box,  or  a 
box  with  sides  and  bottom  may  be  used  and  shifted  about  as  desired. 

Failing  a  supply  of  dry  earth,  coal  ashes  may  be  used,  but  their  effect  on  the  skin  and  plum- 
age of  the  fow  Is  is  bad.  They  take  away  the  oil  in  them,  leaving  feathers  rough  and  brittle,  and 
the  skin  dry,  and  leave  the  feet  and  shanks  in  a  condition  in  which  they  are  especially  suscepti- 
ble to  the  attacks  of  the  scale  insect. 

To  add  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  dust  bath  in  ridding  the  fowls  of  lice,  lime,  sulphur,  etc., 
are  sometimes  mixed  with  it,  and  doubtless  give  it  additional  virtue,  though  the  dry  earth  alone 
is  sufficient  provided  hens  have  opportunity  to  use  it  freely. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  129 


LESSON    XVI. 


Poultry   Fences   and    Yards. 


THESE  two  subjects  we  have  to  consider  together.    The   height,  and  to  some  extent 
the  kind  of  fence  required  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  yard  even  more  than  upon 
the  powers  of  flight  of  the  fowls   to    be  restrained.      When  fowls  are  confined  to 
small  yards  the  height  of  the  fences  must  be  adapted  to  flying  capacity,  for  the  fowls 
so  closely  restricted  in  movements  will  do  their  best  to  break  bounds.     When  yards  are  large 
the  fowls  may  be  restrained  with  very  low  fences.     I  have  had  fowls  that  would  quickly  fly  a 
six  foot  fence   when  in  a  small  enclosure  so  surrounded  never  even  attempt  to  go  over  the 
three  foot  fence  of  a  larger  yard,  and  I  have  seen   Leghorns  in  a  large  yard  where,  on  the 
side  toward   the  road    was  a  stone  wall  one  could    easily  step  over,  that    I   was  told  never 
went  over  the  wall  —  a  statement  which  I  could   credit  because  of  what  I  saw  of  the  fowls 
in  their  yard,  and  did  not  see  of  evidencesof  their  having  been  outside.    This,  however,  we 
must  regard   as  an  exceptional  case,  and  I  would   not  advise  anyone  to  trust  to  a  low  stone 
wall  to  keep  any  active  fowls  out  of  places  in  which    there  was  something  to  tempt  them, 
and  where  they  might  do  some  damage. 

The  low  fence  to  be  effective  must  be  one  which  offers  no  inducement  to  the  fowls 
to  try  their  powers  of  flight.  A  fence  of  pickets  or  laths  presents  a  top  line  on  which  the 
fowl  can  secure  a  footing.  A  wire  fence  of  any  of  the  styles  in  common  use  offers  no  such 
resting  place  if  the  stakes  or  posts  are  small  or  pointed  at  the  top.  This  is  one  point 
in  favor  of  wire  netting.  Other  points  are  cheapness,  durability,  ease  and  quickness  of 
construction,  and  adaptation  to  temporary  fencing.  This  last  feature  of  wire  fencing  is  one 
that  is  only  beginning  to  be  appreciated.  It  is  most  conspicuous  when  low  fences  are  used, 
though  the  high  temporary  fence  may  be  made  with  but  little  more  trouble. 

The   Simplest  Fence. 

Except  for  gate  posts  at  the  few  places  where  there  are  gates,  and  for  the  fence  of  the 
fly  of  the  house  built  for  pigeons,  I  have  no  set  posts  for  my  poultry  fences.  All  fences 
are  on  stakes  driven  into  the  ground..  When  the  ground  is  soft  we  drive  the  stake  right 
into  it;  where  hard  or  stony  we  first  make  a  hole  with  an  iron  bar.  It  Is  not  necessary,  as 
when  using  lumber,  to  have  posts  equally  distant.  I  generally  drive  stakes  four  paces 
apart,  but  if  at  the  point  marked  for  a  stake  I  find  a  stone  the  bar  will  not  displace,, 
move  a  few  inches  or  a  foot  if  necessary,  either  way.  Except  at  end  posts  or  gates  the 
wire  for  temporary  fences  is  fastened  to  the  posts  with  only  two  staples,  one  next  the  ground 
and  the  other  at  the  top  of  the  wire.  These  staples  are  not  driven  in  tight,  only  enough  to 
hold  the  wire,  leaving  a  quarter  of  an  inch  or  more  of  the  staples  to  give  a  good  hold  to  draw 
it  out  by.  For  wider  fencing  proportionately  more  staples  should  be  used,  as  the  additional 
weight  of  wire  increases  the  strain  on  those  near  the  top.  With  wire  three  feet  wide  and  less, 
the  strain  on  the  staples  is  very  light. 


130  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Fences  built  in  this  way  are  easily  and  quickly  built,  aud  easily  and  quickly  taken  down  and 
put  away  or  moved.  For  Brabmas  I  have  fences  from  two  to  three  feet  high,  preferably  two 
aud  a  half  feet.  The  widths  varied  because  sometimes  when  I  wanted  an  extra  roll  or  two 
of  wire  1  could  not.get  thirty-inch  stuff,  so  took  what  I  could  get.  Two  feet  is  rather  low, 
though  only  old  males  are  likely  to  cross  it.  Three  feet  is  higher  than  necessary,  aud  a  little 
harder  for  the  poultry  keeper  to  walk  over. 

For  Rhode  Island  Reds,  Mr.  P.  R.  Park  uses  four  foot  wire,  placing  hie.  posts  or  stakes 
further  apart  (as  I  recall  it  about  twenty  feet)  With  posts  far  enough  apart  the  wire  will 
slack  enough  in  the  middle  to  allow  one  to  step  over.  A  man  of  average  height  or  above 
the  average,  not  overburdened  with  flesh,  will  get  around  much  quicker  going  over  fences 
this  way  than  opening  and  closing  gates.  A  gate  is  a  necessity  if  a  wheelbarrow  is  to  be 
taken  through  the  yards,  but  even  with  gates  all  round  it  is  easier  aud  quicker  for  the  aver- 
age man  to  step  over  the  fence — beside  the  gate.  For  a  short  man  it  is  a  different  proposition. 

In  this  style  ot  fencing  there  are  no  boards,  no  part  of  the  fence  tight.  The  lower  wire 
rests  on  the  ground;  where  there  is  an  elevation  too  abrupt  for  it  to  follow  it  will  double 
over,  w,here  there  Is  a  depression  which  leaves  an  opening  below  it,  it  may  be  drawn 
down  close  with  pegs  driven  into  thegiound 

A  possible  objection  to  fencing  in  this  way  Is  that  males  may  fight  through  the  fences.  Mr. 
Park's. Reds  get  used  to  each  olhei,  and  do  littie  damage.  I  have  had  no  trouble  with 
Brahmas  except  In  a  few  cases  where  males  began  '•  scrapping'  through  the  wire,  and  in 
a  rush  and  spring  together  landed  both  on  the  same  side  of  the  fence.  Then  the  fight  was 
to  a  finish.  No  serious  fighting  through  wire  netting  is  possible.  This  year  I  had  one  male 
I  was  not  willing  to  lake  any  chances  on,  and  between  his  yard  and  the  next  one  containing 
a  male  I  doubled  the  fence,  the  yards  joining  only  for  a  short  distance,  and  there  was  no 
fighting  at  all.  This  double  fence  was  made  just  as  the  temporary  fences  I  have  been 
describing,  with  only  a  few  iuches  between  the  two  fences.  Last  year  where  there  was 
danger  of  males  damaging  each  other,  I  ran  a  second  piece  ot  thirty-inch  wire  above 
the  first.  The  objection  to  that  was  that  you  could  not  walk  over  such  a  fence.  The  parallel 
lines  oi  low  fence  prevent  fighting,  while  not  Interfering  with  the  method  ol  going  from 
yard  to  yard.  The  simple  way  of  fencing  poultry  just  described  is  applicable  only  when  there 
is  room  enough  to  give  good  sized  yards,  and  especially  wide  yards.  It  will  not  answer  for 
such  narrow  yards  as  are  usually  used  with  continuous  houses;  nor  in  the  limited  space  in 
which  many  must  yard  their  poultry,  nor  where  males  with  large  combs  are  kept;  nor  is  It 
advisable  for  permanent  fencing. 

It  a  fence  is  to  remain  in  the  same  place  permanently  it  Is  better  to  build  it,  though  of  wire, 
more  substantially,  to  set  the  posts  plumb  aud  firmly,  to  fasten  the  wire  on  well,  stretching 
it  to  fit;  and  I  think  it  is  better  to  put  a  six-inch  board  along  the  ground,  especially  if  one 
wishes  to  keep  the  grass  or  the  ground  smooth,  clean  aud  well  trimmed  along  the  fence. 

About  Permanent  Poultry  Fences. 

More  and  more  poultrymen  are  beginning  to  agree  that  the  permanent  poultry  fence  is  a  bad 
thing— an  evil  to  be  tolerated,  perhaps,  in  some  places,  but  avoided  wherever  possible.  It  is 
only  when  poultry  keeping  is  on  a  very  limited  scale,  and  the  poultryman  can  keep  his  small 
yards  thoroughly  renovated— in  fact,  treating  the  yards  as  he  does  the  house,  that  the  evils 
of  permanent  fencing  are  done  away  with. 

The  great  fault  of  permanent  fencing  is  that  the  yards,  unless  very  carefully  looked  after, 
soon  become  foul,  while  the  fences  so  interfere  with  a  thorough  working  ot  the  soil  thut  the 
soil  either  is  not  thoroughly  worked  or  is  worked  largely  by  hand  tools,  and  at  great  expense. 
The  result  of  this  condition  is  that  the  yards  are  generally  not  thoroughly  worked  over,  and 
disease  and  filth  lurk  in  the  corners,  about  the  posts,  and  under  the  fence  boards,  furnishing 
the  unsuspected  cause  for  many  a  supposed  mysterious  epidemic. 

As  in  discussing  the  structure  of  the  poultry  house  and  the  character  aud  arrangement 
of  the  fittings,  I  tried  to  impress  on  readers  the  importance  of  having  everything  plain  and 
simple,  because  this  made  it  easier  to  be  thorough  in  treating  the  house  for  lice  especially— 
but,  also,  in  all  ordinary  cleanings— so  in  regard  to  the  arrangement  of  yards  and  fences  I 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  131 

would  emphasize  the  importance,  which  as  a  plant  grows  old  becomes  necessity,  of  making 
It  easy  as  well  as  possible  to  keep  yards  thoroughly  clean.  It  isn't  much  of  a  job  to  spade 
over  a  large  area  on  paper;  but  it  takes  time  and  lots  of  muscle  to  do  the  actual  work  on  a 
comparatively  small  plant.  Even  when  yards  are  so  arranged  that  the  greater  part  can  be 
ploughed,  there  must  be  a  strip  along  each  side  of  every  fence  that  has  to  be  worked  over  with 
spade  or  fork, — a  tedious  job. 

This  difficulty  of  giving  the  soil  of  the  yards  proper  attention  is  one  of  the  strong  argu- 
ments against  the  continuous  house  plan  as  an  all  year  round  plan.  Some  poultrymen,  notably 
those  growing  winter  chickens,  and  some  of  the  large  duck  growers,  use  stake  and  wire  netting 
fences  for  the  outdoor  runs  connected  with  their  brooder  houses,  and  after  the  young  stock  is 
out  of  the  brooders,  take  up  all  fences,  plough  the  ground,  and  sow  to  some  crop,  usually 
winter  rye.  This  annual  renovation  and  disinfection  of  the  yards  has  been  an  important  factor 
in  their  continued  success  with  intensive  methods.  It  is  more  easily  adapted  to  brooder  house 
yards  than  to  yards  in  which  laying  stock  are  kept,  but  unless  a  poultryman  is  very  much 
crowded  for  room,  or  has  a  very  large  ^stock,  it  should  be  possible  to  get  the  laying  hens  out  of 
their  permanent  or  winter  quarters  for  at  least  a  few  months  in  the  summer  and  early  fall,  and 
so  make  an  opportunity  for  a  thorough  cleaning  up  and  purifying.  If  the  house  is  so  situated 
that  yards  can  be  made  both  front  and  back,  and  used  alternately,  the  problem  becomes  easy. 
Temporary  fences  may  be  used.  Yards  in  front  of  the  houses  may  be  used  for  a  year  or  two, 
then  all  fences  removed  to  the  rear  of  the  house,  and  the  ground  in  front  kept  in  cultivation  or 
grass  for  a  year  or  two.  The  character  and  extent  of  the  land,  and  the  requirements  of  the 
situation,  have  to  be  considered  in  determining  just  how  to  work  the  rotation,  and  how  to 
arrange  the  chickens  and  the  crops.  On  some  soils  a  rapid  alternation  would  be  better;  on 
others,  yards  might  run  for  a  series  of  years  without  any  pressing  demand  for  change.  This 
Is  especially  true  of  some  of  our  porous,  sandy  sites  in  New  England.  Indeed  I  have  seen 
some  places  here  where  if  the  land  was  not  overstocked  with  fowls  so  that  it  would  get  too 
foul  between  rains,  poultry  could  be  kept  on  it  indefinitely  without  any  other  purification  of 
the  soil  than  is  brought  about  by  natural  agencies.  This  condition,  however,  would  not  obtain 
If  yards  were  small,  and  the  washing  of  the  soil  interfered  with  by  post  and  boards  of  perma- 
nent fences,  beside  which  the  droppings  would  lodge  instead  of  being  carried  away. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  further,  of  Such  a  location,  that  the  fertilizing  elements  which,  retained 
In  a  soil  unused,  poison  it  for  the  fowls  running  on  it,  being  either  washed  away  or  dissolved 
and  leached  through  the  light  surface  soil,  are  wasted  and  lost,  while  with  an  alternation  of 
yards  on  richer,  heavier  soil  the  fertilizer  can  be  made  to  contribute  something  to  the  income. 

I  know  a  very  few  plants  on  good  land  where  stock  has  been  kept  low  enough,  and  grass 
yards  in  such  good  condition  that  the  bad  results  of  permanent  fencing  have  not  developed,  but 
most  poultrymen  who  yard  their  fowls  need  to  change  the  runs  often,  or  else  give  as  careful 
attention  to  the  cleanliness  of  the  yards  as  of  the  houses. 

The  Usual  Permanent  Fence. 

The  prevailing  style  of  permanent  fence  for  small  to  moderate  sized  yards  is  a  fence  six  feet 
high,  the  first  two  feet  of  boards,  the  remainder  of  wire  netting.  Posts  are  usually  set  eight 
feet  apart.  With  the  wire  no  top  rail  is  required.  The  netting  is  made  fast  to  the  posts  and 
to  the  upper  edge  of  the  board  part  of  the  fence  with  staples.  For  such  fencing  the  common 
two  inch  mesh  poultry  wire  netting  is  used. 

Fences  on  this  general  plan  are  sometimes  made  with  lath  in  place  of  wire,  but  that  atyleis 
not  as  good  or  as  satisfactory.  I  used  lath  fences  for  the  yards  of  a  plant  I  built  fifteen  years 
ago,  but  after  a  few  years  experience  with  them,  resolved  never  to  do  it  again.  My  object  in 
using  lath  was  to  have  the  shade  which  it  would  give  the  fowls  in  summer.  It  was  all  right  for 
that,  but  it  also  made  too  much  shade  in  the  yards  in  winter.  It  would  have  been  better  to  put 
for  shade  in  each  yard  some  sort  of  shelter  that  could  be  removed  when  not  wanted.  The 
great  objection  to  a  lath  fence  is  that  the  wind  soon  works  the  laths  loose,  and  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time  they  get  to  the  stage  where  not  even  frequent  circuits  of  the  fences  driving  in 
the  nails  will  keep  them  in  good  condition.  By  all  means  avoid  the  lath  fence.  Use  wire,  and 


132  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

if  shade  must  be  provided,  make  shelters  of  boards  or  cloth,  or  plant  trees  in  the  yards.  The 
trees  answer  permanently  ;  the  other  shelters  will  do  until  the  trees  are  of  size  to  make  shade. 
Japanese  plum  trees  have  been  favorites  with  poultrymen.  They  make  a  quick  growth,  and 
for  a  few  years  bear  well,  but  are  short  lived.  Some  poultrymen  have  planted  plum,  cherry,  or 
peach  trees,  or  some  of  all  of  these  in  their  yards,  alternating  with  apple  trees.  The  other 
trees  will  have  passed  their  prime  by  the  time  the  apple  trees  are  crowding  them  out,  and  can 
then  be  taken  out,  leaving  a  nice  apple  orchard; 

A  six  foot  fence  is  not  always  necessary  for  small  yards.  For  Asiatics  It  Is  higher  than 
required,  and  is  also  higher  than  needed  for  some  American  breeds;  but  if  yards  are  small  it 
is  better  to  make  fences  high,  unless  it  is  certain  they  will  never  be  used  for  fowls  that  can  fly. 
The  additional  cost  does  not  exceed  half  a  cent  per  running  foot  of  the  fence,  and  the  six  foot 
fence  is  practically  safe  for  all  the  popular  varieties  of  fowls,  while  a  five  foot  fence  is  not  high 
enough  for  a  small  enclosure  for  Leghorns,  and  many  fowls  of  all  breeds  but  Asiatics  can  go 
over  it  if  they  try. 

The  six-foot  fence,  while  generally  safe,  will  not  answer  for  light,  active  fowls  that  have 
acquired  the  habit  of  flying  over  it.  For  such  variousMevices  have  been  tried,  some  of  which 
seem  to  work  in  one  case,  some  in  another.  Rarely  the  fence  is  built  to  a  greater  height  than 
six  feet.  Oftener  a  narrower  strip  ot  wire  netting  is  placed  at  the  top  of  the  fence,  in  a 
horizontal  position,  being  attached  to  horizontal  strips  of  wood  fastened  to  the  tops  of  the 
posts.  This  wire  extends  out  a  foot  or  more  from  the  perpendicular  fence.  The  object  is 
to  prevent  hens  which  have  caught  the  trick  from  alighting  on  the  top  wire  of  the  fence 
proper.  Sometimes  instead  ot  wire  netting  one  or  more  single  wires  are  strung  to  cross 
pieces  on  top  the  posts,  the  purpose  being  the  same,  to  have  the  fowls  flying  for  the  top  of  the 
fence  strike  them  and  be  thrown  back  Mone  of  these  devices  are  absolutely  sure.  To  be  sure 
of  retaining  breeding  fowls  in  small  yards  with  six-foot  fences  the  yard  must  be  covered  over 
with  wire  netting. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  point  out  that  flying  is  with  fowls  very  much  a  matter 
of  habit.  Chicks  that  are  raised  where  they  have  no  inducement  to  fly,  or  where  the  fences  are 
so  high  that  they  could  not  fly  over  them  until  quite  well  grown  seldom  get  into  the  habit. 
Those  which  find  conditions  and  fences  which  encourage  flying  early  acquire  the  habit,  and  it 
becomes  difficult  to  break  them  of  it.  There  are  of  course  some  differences  due  to  breed  and 
family,  but  on  the  whole  fowls  kept  where  the  fences  easily  retain  them  while  small  rarely 
become  troublesome  as  flyers. 

Gates. 

Gates  are  usually  made  like  small  sections  of  the  fence  of  which  they  are  a  part.  Different 
styles  of  self-opening  and  closing  gates  have  been  devised,  but  the  old  simple  gate  seems  to 
hold  its  own.  Probably  because  it  is  inexpensive  and  reliable.  The  hinges  are  sometimes  of 
springs,  or  a  spring  is  attached  to  the  gate  to  shut  it,  but  the  poultryman  who  is  wise  in  his 
craft  will  not  rely  on  a  spring.  A  strong  breeze  often  swings  a  gate  which  is  not  securely 
fastened,  fowls  slip  from  one  pen  to  another;  there  is  confusion,  annoyance,  and  often  serious 
loss  from  such  mischances.  It  Is  safer  to  have  every  gate  fastened  with  a  fastening  that  can 
be  depended  upon. 


FIRST    LESSORS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  133 


LESSON    XVII. 


Getting    Ready    for   Winter. 


THE  ideal  state  of  the  work  in  a  poultry  yard  is  to  be  always  prepared— ready  lor  the 
special  work  of  each  season  as  it  comes.  When  this  condition  exists,  the  work  Is 
easier,  and  results  more  reliable. 

We  may  say  in  discussing  the  matter  academically  that  this  ideal  condition  ought 
always  to  exist,  and  that  in  as  much  as  he  fails  to  attain  it,  the  poultryman  shows  poor  man- 
agement or  poor  j  udgment.  But  in  practice  we  find  even  the  best  poultrymen  able  to  maintain 
this  ideal  condition  only  occasionally,  even  when  their  operations  are  on  such  a  scale  that  so 
far  as  it  depends  upon  them,  nothing  that  needs  to  be  done  need  be  delayed  or  neglected. 
When,  as  is  ofteuer  the  case,  the  poultryman  is  diligently  making  the  most  of  every  promising 
means  of  adding  to  the  proceeds  of  the  year's  work,  a  setback  making  a  difference  of  only  a 
few  days  in  certain  preparations  or  results  may  easily  handicap  him  through  the  remainder  of 
the  season. 

Besides  such  delays  as  this,  there  are  occasionally  others  for  which  he  may  not  be  at  all 
responsible.  Of  this  kind  are  delays  in  getting  out  chicks,  due  to  disappointing  fertility  in  the 
first  eggs  set.  The  effects  of  such  delays  may  extend  through  more  than  one  season  in  spite  of 
all  that  the  poultryman  may  do  to  overcome  them. 

I  call  attention  to  these  things  not  to  discourage  anyone,  but  because  a  full  appreciation  of 
possible  difficulties  in  the  way  of  any  undertaking  is  nearly  always  a  condition  of  success  in 
it,  and  the  average  poultry  keeper  is  too  prone  to  put  off  special  preparations  until  the  occasion 
for  them  becomes  urgent.  A  mistake  at  any  season,  such  procrastination  is  doubly  danger- 
ous at  this  season,  for  fall  weather  is  uncertain,  winter  may  set  in  earlier  than  anticipated,  and 
winter  conditions  often  make  it  impossible  to  do  work  that  needs  to  be  done.  There  is  less 
chance  of  recovering  lost  ground  at  thie)  season  than  at  any  other.  Hence  the  urgent  need  of 
forwarding  the  development  of  the  stock,  and  the  preparations  for  winter  protection  and 
comfort. 

Keep   the    Young   Stock   Growing. 

There  may  be  some  very  early  pullets  thtit  by  moving  about,  and  by  light  diet,  need  to 
be  held  back  from  laying  until  October,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  young  stock  should  be  fed 
new  all  it  will  stand,  and  it  should  be  able  to  stand  very  heavy  feeding. 

The  conditions  now  are  especially  favorable  to  rapid  growth.  In  northern  latitudes  where 
excessive  heat  is  rarely  long  continued,  growth  should  have  been  good  right  through  the 
summer.  Where  summer  heats  are  oppressive,  the  growth  of  the  chickens  may  be  very  slow 
through  July  and  August,  but  with  September  they  take  a  fresh  start,  and  to  make  up  as  far 
as  possible  they  should  now  be  pushed  to  the  limit  of  safety. 

With  the  cooler  weather  of  this  season  we  have  still  days  that  are  long  enough  to  get  in  three 
good  meals,  and  still  have  time  for  the  digestive  organs  to  rest  a  little  in  the  daylight  interims. 
Later  when  the  days  grow  so  short  t Jat  the  meals  come  closer  together  the  fowls  will  not  take 
and  assimilate  as  much  food,  and  that  is  one  reason  why  it  is  so  hard  to  push  them  when  It  is 


134  .       FIJiST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

neglected  until  the  failure  of  the  pullets  to  begin  laying  early  in  winter  plainly  indicates  the 
need  of  forcing.  Then  the  keeper  is  often  disappointed  in  results,  the  pullets  not  seeming  to 
respond  as  they  should  to  the  extra  food  and  special  care  given  them. 

It  is  of  greatest  importance  that  through  the  fall  the  fowls  should  be  well  fed.  The  need  of 
good  feeding  at  this,  and  at  all  times,  would  appear  to  be  so  self-evident  as  not  to  need  to  be, 
thus  specially  emphasized,  but  for  many  years,  and  in  the  experiences  of  a  very  great  number 
of  poultry  keepers,  I  have  noticed  a  tendency  to  skimp  the  feeding  at  this  period. 

The  most  common  cause  of  such  efforts  to  economize  is  that  the  poultry  keeper  is  carrying 
a  stock  of  growing  fowls  too  large  for  his  finances,  and  in  his  efforts  to  go  into  the  winter  with 
a  certain  number  of  possible  layers,  he  not  only  keeps  many  pullets  which  ought  to  be  sold  for 
poultry,  but,  in  order  to  go  no  deeper  in  debt  than  is  unavoidable,  he  gives  his  stock  a  mere 
maintenance  ration,  which,  in  the  case  of  the  pullets,  means  delayed  development,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  old  hens,  slow  molting  and  retarded  resumption  of  laying.  The  policy  of  short 
feeding  is  often  pursued  until  the  lack  of  results  at  the  expected  time  points  to  something 
wrong,  and  then  the  poultry  keeper  expects  in  a  few  days  of  special  feeding  to  make  up  for 
weeks  or  months  of  insufficient  rations. 

It  may  h'appen  occasionally  that  it  is  advisable  to  feed  short  with  early  pullets  that  would 
otherwise  begin  to  lay  sooner  than  was  advisable,  (with  the  risk  of  a  molt  early  in  the  winter), 
but  such  cases  are  comparatively  rare.  Most  poultry  keepers  with  most  of  their  stock  need  to 
feed  all  the  stock  can  stand. 

The  Best  Way  to  Economize  in   Feeding. 

The  expense  of  feeding  a  stock  of  growing,  and,  as  yet,  unproductive  pullets,  is  nearly 
always  a  heavy  burden  on  the  poultryman  working  up  a  stock,  because  the  proportion  of 
unproductive  to  productive  stock  is  usually  much  greater  than  in  a  flock  established  for  some 
time  upon  a  given  basis.  To  make  tbe  burden  as  light  as  possible,  the  poultry  keeper  should 
cull  his  pullets  closely,  retaining  only  those  that  are  vigorous,  strong,  and  well  developed  for 
their  age.  If,  after  such  culling,  he  still  has  more  than  he  can  give  proper  care,  let  him  sell 
a  part  of  the  remainder,  and  bring  the  stock  down  to  what  he  can  "  swing.'' 

Many  poultrymen  are  reluctant  to  do  this  because  they  feel  that  in  thus  reducing  their  stock 
In  advance  of  the  season  of  its  productiveness  they  are  deliberately  cutting  off  a  large  part  of 
tbe  most  promising  source  of  income.  That  would  be  the  case  if  the  pullets  were  all  good,  and 
if  the  whole  number  could  be  carried  to  maturity  in  a  proper  manner.  I  am  not,  however, 
talking  now  to  those  who  are  able  to  keep  the  pullets  growing,  but  to  that  large  class  who  try  to 
economize  in  feeding  at  this  season,  and  then  wonder  why  they  do  not  get  results  a  little  later. 
The  most  profitable  course  for  them  is  to  reduce  the  stock  to  what  they  can  give  liberal 
rations.  It  is  a  great  deal  better  for  one  who  is  sailing  close  to  the  wind  in  his  poultry  business 
to  go  into  the  winter  with  100  pullets  ready  to  lay  in  November  than  with  300  that  will  not  lay 
until  February.  For  the  100  will  give  a  profit  all  winter,  while  the  300  will  not  begin  to  pay 
for  their  keep  by  their  winter  laying.  In  sections  where  eggs  command  high  prices  through 
the  most  of  the  year,  one  may  make  perhaps  as  much  on  a  flock  of  late  pullets  beginning  to  lay 
in  February,  and  laying  late  the  next  year,  as  on  earlier  pullets  that  began  to  lay  at  the  same 
age;  but  if  he  needs  the  income  from  the  hens  to  pay  his  feed  bills,  and  has  to  go  into  debt  if 
eggs  are  not  forthcoming,  he  should  strain  every  nerve  to  get  eggs  early,  and  keep  no  more 
pullets  than  he  can  carry  without  seriously  handicapping  next  year's  work  if  eggs  come  slowly 
this  winter.  If  one  has  room  for  them,  and  is  able  to  handle  them,  late  pullets  may  be  very 
profitable.  Not  so  the  early  pullet  that  lays  late. 

Keeping  the  stock  down,  or  cutting  it  down  at  this  stage,  is  one  of  the  essential  features  of 
building  a  poultry  stock  or  business  up  slowly.  Just  as  many  readers  in  mid-summer  found 
that  it  had  been  easy  to  get  out  chickens  enough  to  overcrowd  their  accommodations  before  the 
chicks  were  half  grown,  so  about  this  season  many  are  made  to  realize  that  they  have  been 
able  to  rear  to  present  stage  of  development,  and  have  accommodations  for  more  chickens  than 
they  are  financially  able  to  take  care  of  until  they  begin  to  produce  eggs.  The  common  practice 
is  to  go  in  debt  for  feed,  and  even  then  feed  short.  Tbe  better  way  is  to  reduce  the  stock. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  135 

Culling   the    Young   Stock. 

Apart  from  the  point  of  a  poultryraan's  financial  ability  to  carry  what  stock  he  has,  is  the 
question  of  the  policy  of  keeping  it  all.  Nearly  all  pou'trymen — even  those  of  long  experience 
and  generally  satisfactory  success, 'hokl  more  of  their  stock  than  is  wise. 

Unless  a  stock  has  been  bred  by  very  careful  selection,  and  is  very  uniform  in  quality, 
there  is  almost  certainly  a  considerable  percentage  of  both  pullets  and  cockerels  not  worth 
reserving  for  stock  purposes.  The  very  backward  inferior  specimens  of  both  sexes  should  be 
relentlessly  weeded  out.  There  Is  no  profit  in  keeping  them.  The  novice  who  has  thorough- 
bred  stock  is  likely  to  think  that  all  being  of  the  same  breeding,  every  specimen  must  have 
some  value  for  stock  purposes.  The  inferior  pullets  he  has  no  use  for  himself  he  holds  to  sell  to 
some  one  who  wants  low  price  stock.  They  are  salable  for  such  purposes  if  the  price  is  made 
low  enough,  but  I  don't  think  that  in  the  long  run  it  pays  to  make  such  disposition  of  them.  If 
one  is  selling  thoroughbred  stock  and  wants  to  make  a  reputation  that  will  profit  him  in  coming 
years  he  cannot  afford  to  let  such  poor  stock  go  for  breeding,  at  any  price  —  much  less  at  a  low 
price.  Cockerels  of  like  quality  he  holds  to  sell  to  the  trade  that  buys  at  $1.50  to  $3  each. 
Neither  does  this  pay.  Considered  individually,  there  is  some  profit  in  the  cockerel  sold  before 
spring  at  $2.50  to  $3,  but  on  a  lot  of  cockerels  of  low  grade  it  is  generally  impossible  to  figure 
a  profit  that  will  pay  for  giving  them  house  room  and  attention.  A  few  birds  lost  or  unsold 
in  such  a  lot  offset  the  narrow  margin  of  profit  on  the  others.  The  novice  with  no  established 
trade  will  as  a  rule  find  it  safe  to  dispose  of  all  but  the  best  tenth  of  his  male  birds  before 
winter.  This  will  seem  to  many  rather  radical  culling.  Let  those  who  doubt  the  wisdom  of 
such  policy  keep  account  with  the  cheap  cockerels  they  hold  over.  As  to  selling  any  consider- 
able proportion  of  cockerels  of  that  grade  at  this  season,  it  cannot  be  done.  The  trade  that 
takes  them  is  on  the  whole  a  trade  that  buys  only  at  the  beginning  of  the  breeding  season. 

If,  then,  the  reader  wishes  to  put  his  poultry  keeping  for  the  winter  on  the  best  possible 
economic  basis,  let  him  dispose  of  all  pullets  that  are  not  thrifty  and  vigorous  and  likely  to 
begin  laying  before  midwinter,  and  of  all  but  a  few  of  his  best  cockerels.  These  with  such  old 
hens  as  he  has  selected  to  keep  over  should  give  him  a  stock  that  reduces  his  chances  of  loss 
to  the  minimum,  while  what  be  receives  from  the  sale  of  the  discarded  stock  may  go  a  good 
way  toward  paying  the  keep  of  the  remainder  until  it  begins  to  be  productive. 

Putting  the  Stock  Into  Winter  Quarters. 

The  pullets  not  already  in  winter  quarters  should  go  there  as  soon  as  possible  now,  for  their 
laying  will  depend  somewhat  on  conditions  being  good,  and  no  further  disturbance  necessary. 

They  should  not  be  crowded,  but  given  as  much  house  room  as  is  to  be  allotted  to  them 
through  the  winter.  It  is  generally  found  a  mistake  to  crowd  them  into  winter  quarters, 
perhaps  to  twice  the  capacity  of  a  house,  thinking  it  will  be  time  enough  to  reduce  the  num- 
ber when  they  begin  to  lay.  They  should  have  as  much  house  house  room  now  as  when 
matured. 

The  Importance  of  Fresh  Air. 

To  say  that  pullets  should  now  be  in  winter  quarters  does  not  necessarily  mean  that  the 
houses  should  be  operated  as  in  winter.  If  cold  houses  are  used  there  will  be  no  difference, 
perhaps;  but  if  the  houses  are  tight,  warm,  and  are  to  be  shut  up  in  cold  weather,  the  winter 
method  of  operating  the  house  is  not  suitable  to  present  conditions. 

This  is  the  season  when  colds  seem  to  develop  and  become  epidemic  without  such  plain 
causes  of  colds  as  may  be  found  later  on.  Most  of  the  cases  of  epidemic  cold  developing  now 
are  due  not  to  cold,  but  to  heat.  The  houses  are  shut  up  too  early,  the  air  in  them  is  close  and 
bad,  and  the  fowls  and  chickens  accustomed  to  more  open  coops  and  houses  during  the  sum- 
mer, take  cold.  For  years  there  has  been  hardly  a  case  of  colds  reported  to  me  in  early  fall 
that  was  not  evidently  due  to  lack  of  ventilation  and  fresh  air,  and  reports  of  results  of  better 
ventilation  have  almost  invariably  shown  improvement  as  a  result  of  the  more  air  treatment. 
Better  keep  doors  and  windows  open  until  real  winter  weather  comes.  « 


136  FIE  SI     LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Making     Houses    Ready. 

While  it  is  better  to  have  houses  in  first  class  shape,  clean,  and  the  floor  (if  of  earth) 
renewed,  when  the  pullets  are  put  into  them,  it  is  much  better  to  put  the  pullets  in  the  houses, 
and  fix  up  afterwards  than  to  keep  them  out  until  the  houses  are  ready,  especially  if  (as  is 
quite  generally  the  case)  the  pullets  are  by  this  lime  overcrowded  in  the  summer  quarters. 
The  ideal  way,  as  has  been  said,  is  to  have  everything  ready  at  its  proper  time,  but  this  is  so 
difficult  to  accomplish  that  many  times  we  have  to  take  the  course  that  seems  to  have  the  least 
disadvantages. 

When  detached  houses  are  used  it  is  much  easier  to  clean  up  while  the  house  is  in  use  than 
when  houses  are  on  the  continuous  plan,  but  even  in  that  case  with  a  little  ingenuity  in  shifting 
the  fowls  from  pen  to  pen  as  cleaning  progresses,  the  fowls  being  driven  and  not  handled  at  all, 
it  is  possible  to  do  the  work  almost  as  expeditiously  as  if  the  houses  were  empty. 

With  me  the  cleaning  process  consists  in  removing  all  of  the  earth  floor  that  shows  any 
mixture  of  droppings,  brushing  down  walls  and  underside  of  roof  with  a  broom,  filling  the 
floor  with  new  earth,  and  making  whatever  repairs  are  necessary.  Sometimes  the  interior  is 
whitewashed,  though  that  seems  to  me  generally  not  to  be  necessary  for  cleanliness,  but  rather 
advisable  because  it  makes  the  place  look  better,  and  makes  the  light  better  on  dark  days. 
These  advantages  make  whitewashing  well  worth  doing  if  time  can  be  found  for  the  work, 
but  if  something  has  to  be  left  undone,  let  it  be  the  whitewashing  rather  than  the  renewal  of 
the  floor,  repairs,  or  alterations  that  will  make  the  winter's  work  easier. 

Look    Out    for    Mites. 

When  cleaning  up  the  house  look  out  for  red  mites.  They  are  most  likely  to  be  found  on  the 
undersides  of  the  .roosts,  and  about  the  supports  on  which  the  roosts  rest,  and  about  the  nests. 
If  they  are  present,  indications  will  be  plain,  even  before  the  mites  themselves  are  seen,  in  the 
abundance  of  greyish  white  specks  about  their  harboring  places.  If  these  specks,  resembling 
fly  specks,  are  noticed  on  walls  or  fixtures,  you  may  be  sure  the  mites  are  there.  In  that  event, 
whether  the  house  is  to  be  whitewashed  or  not,  give  all  the  places  where  traces  of  mites  are 
found  a  thorough  swabbing,  spraying,  or  drenching  with  water  containing  an  insecticide  that 
will  kill  them.  I  use  Chloro-Xaptholeum,  about  a  half  teacupful  to  a  three  gallon  pail  of 
water.  Some  use  Sulpho-Napthol,  some  napthalene  flakes  dissolved  in  kerosene,  some  straight 
kerosene,  some  one  of  the  numerous  other  liquid  insecticides  and  disinfectants  on  the  market. 
Whitewash  alone  will  kill  all  the  mites  it  reaches  if  a  bit  thick,  but  if  thin  enough  to  go  into  the 
cracks  and  crevices  is  not  as  effective  as  the  other  things  mentioned.  Whatever  application  is 
used,  if  the  mites  were  bad  go  over  the  infested  places  again  after  an  interval  of  three  or  four 
days,  and  again  after  another  like  interval,  if,  on  examination,  any  mites  are  found.  Two,  or 
at  most,  three  treatments  at  this  season  should  settle  the  mite  question  until  the  return  of  warm 
weather  next  summer. 

Renovating    the    Yards. 

The  yards  being,  in  this  latitude,  little  used  in  winter,  it  is  not  as  necessary  to  clean  them  up 
at  this  time  as  it  is  to  clean  the  houses,  but  if  opportunity  can  be  found  now  to  turn  over  soil 
that  would  require  turning  over  in  the  spring  anyway,  it  is  worth  while  to  do  it.  The  contam- 
inated soil  is  thus  turned  under,  and  if  there  should  happen  to  be  much  open  weather  in  the 
winter  the  fowls  have  cleaner  ground  to  run  over. 

If  it  is  desired  to  grass  a  yard,  now  is  a  better  time  to  prepare  it  than  in  the  spring.  Plough 
or  spade  and  smooth  the  surface.  Then  just  before  it  freezes  up  sow  the  seed.  Keep  the  fowls 
off  the  land  through  the  winter  and  until  after  the  grass  is  well  established  in  the  spring.  In 
this  way  you  will  get  a  better  start  of  grass,  and  have  the  use  of  the  land  much  sooner  than  if 
the  seed  is  sown  in  the  spring. 

Laying    in    Supplies    for    Winter. 

Dust. —  If,  as  I  think  by  far  the  best  way,  the  floor  of  the  house  is  used  as  a  dust  bath,  no 
special  provision  for  material  for  the  dust  bath  need  be  made;  but  if  floors  are  of  wood  or 
cement,  and  dust  has  to  be  supplied  specially,  a  good  supply  should  be  stored  before  the  ground 
freezes. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  137 

Litter.— It  leaves  are  to  be  used  for  litter,  they  should  be  stored  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
quicker  they  are  collected  and  put  away  after  they  fall,  the  tougher  they  are,  and  the  longer 
they  last  on  the  scratching  floor.  If  allowed  to  lie  exposed  to  the  weather  for  some  time,  they 
become  much  more  brittle,  and  are  quickly  pulverized  by  the  fowls. 

Farmers  who  have  their  own  straw,  of  course  have  it  stacked,  and  do  not  need  to  specially 
consider  the  supply  for  the  hens. 

Those  who  cannot  get  leaves,  and  have  to  buy  other  scratching  material,  are  likely  to  find 
this  the  most  favorable  time  to  get  their  supply,  and  the  poultryman  who  has  provided  a  place 
for  the  storage  of  such  supply,  finds  now  what  a  convenience  it  is. 

While  I  consider  leaves  the  most  satisfactory  scratching  material  for  those  who  can  get  a 
good  supply  with  little  trouble  and  expense,  they  are  practically  available  only  for  those  who 
can  get  them  nearby.  Those  who  buy  stuff  for  scratching  litter  will  find  oat  straw  and  corn 
stalks  the  most  satisfactory  —  the  straw  to  be  used  without  cutting,  the  stalks  to  be  cut  into 
about  six  inch  lengths.  Most  kinds  of  hay  make  less  satisfactory  litter;  tine  hay  packs  too 
close,  while  coarse  long  hay  is  tough,  and  mats  and  tangles. 

Green  Foods  and  Roots.—  Cabbage  is  the  best  of  winter  green  foods,  and  the  most  con- 
venient to  feed.  A  poultryman  who  does  not  grow  his  own  cabbage  should  lay  in  a  supply 
before  winter,  otherwise  he  is  likely  to  have  to  pay  too  much  for  what  he  uses.  Failing  a 
supply  of  cabbage,  good  clover  or  alfalfa  makes  a  substitute  that  insures  the  fowls  will  not 
suffer  for  lack  of  green  food. 

Of  root  crops,  beets  are  the  best  for  poultry,  and  large  mangel  or  sugar  beets  the  most  satis- 
factory. These  are  seldom  grown  for  sale  in  the  localities  where  they  would  be  most  in 
demand  for  poultry,  and  unless  the  poultryman  grows  them  himself  his  supply  is  likely  to  be 
uncertain. 

Exhibition  Fowls. 

For  most  exhibitors  the  show  season  is  still  several  months  away,  yet  it  is  not  too  early  to 
begin  to  prepare  birds  for  show  if  one  intends  to  show.  Indeed,  if  there  is  even  a  remote  pos- 
sibility that  one  may  want  to  show,  or  if  he  thinks  it  at  all  possible  that  there  is  in  his  stock  a 
bird  anyone  else  would  buy  to  show,  he  should  begin  now  to  consider  the  matter,  to  provide 
against  anything  occurring  to  spoil  an  otherwise  useful  exhibition  specimen,  and  by  every 
means  in  his  power  to  put  such  birds  in  good  condition  and  keep  them  so. 

The  almost  universal  fault  of  novices  in  exhibiting  fowls  is  to  put  off  the  preparation  of  the 
specimen  to  be  exhibited  until  the  show  at  which  it  is  to  be  exhibited  Is  close  at  hand.  Then 
they  find  all  sorts  of  things  wrong.  Birds  so  short  in  weight  that  it  is  hopeless  to  think  of 
getting  them  up  to  weight;  birds  with  scaly  legs,  with  broken  feathers,  etc.,  and  in  many 
cases  the  owner  has  little  idea  how  to  remedy  the  trouble,  and  loses  still  more  time  in  finding 
out. 

Now  many  of  the  most  common  faults  discovered  by  the  novice  when  trying  to  select  birds  to 
show  are  faults  that  in  a  specimen  of  any  value  should  be  remedied  whether  the  specimen  is  to 
be  exhibited  or  not.  Scaly  legs  should  not  be  tolerated  in  a  yard,  nor  should  such  lack  of  condi- 
tion as  exists  when  a  fowl  with  a  frame  that  should  easily  carry  the  weight  required  by  the 
Standard  is  a  pound  or  two  short  of  that  weight. 

By  taking  the  possible  exhibition  birds  in  hand  now,  they  may  as  a  rule  be  quite  easily  fitted 
and  well  fitted.  With  two  or  three  months  to  make  weight  they  will  come  on  fast  enough  on 
ordinary  good  feeding;  scaly  legs  may  be  cleaned  up  gradually  and  be  in  fine  condition  long 
before  the  show;  broken  or  clipped  feathers  may  be  removed,  and  new  ones  have  ample  time  to 
grow  in  their  place.  Besides  this,  special  precautions  may  now  be  begun  to  avoid  accidents  to 
specimens  that  may  be  wanted  to  show.  This  is  most  necessary  with  the  young  males.  They 
must  not  only  be  kept  from  injury  by  fighting,  but  a  good  specimen  must  not  be  kept  where  he 
will  be  bossed  and  cowed  by  another  male  even  if  the  other  is  so  much  the  boss  that  no  special 
damage  is  done  to  comb  or  plumage.  A  male  to  show  to  advantage  must  show  spirit,  and 
though  most  of  them  have  spirit  enough  when  given  a  chance  to  develop  and  display  it,  a  male 
that  has  been  knocked  about  for  months  takes  more  than  a  few  days  or  weeks  to  come  out  and 
show  all  that  is  in  him. 


138  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

There  is  still  another  reason  why  attention  should  be  given  to  the  selection  and  fitting  of  pos- 
sible show  specimens.  It  leads  the  poultryman  to  study  hia  stock  much  closer  than  he  is  likely 
to  do  if  he  gives  no  attention  to  exhibition  quality  and  condition,  and  though  he  should  not 
show  a  single  specimen,  all  the  time  and  thought  he  has  given  to  this  work  will  be  found  when 
he  comes  to  mate  his  fowls  for  the  next  season,  to  have  been  well  spent.  The  matter  of  fitting 
birds  for  exhibition  will  be  treated  more  at  length  in  the  next  lesson. 

The  Poultryman   Who  Begins  in  the  Fall. 

I  am  often  asked  what  time  of  the  year  is  best  to  begin  poultry  keeping.  Judging  by  results 
of  first  efforts  I  cannot  say  that  it  makes  a  great  deal  of  difference,  but  the  fall  has  always 
seemed  to  me  the  best  time  to  begin,  because  beginning  at  this  season  experiences  come  in  their 
logical  order,  and  something  of  the  handling  of  adult  stock  is  learned  before  hatching  and  rear- 
ing questions  press  for  consideration. 

The  poultryman  beginning  now,  if  on  an  old  plant,  has  to  take  much  the  same  steps  in  getting 
houses  ready  for  winter  as  have  already  been  mentioned.  One  building  new  houses,  of  course 
has  no  cleaning  up  or  repairing  to  do,  but  unless  buildings  are  already  well  advanced  they  must 
be  pushed  rapidly  to  have  them  ready  for  the  stock  before  winter  sets  in. 

It  is  best  not  to  buy  stock  until  the  buildings  are  practically  ready,  for  fowls  coming  to  a  new 
place  will  not  stand  confinement  in  makeshift  quarters  as  well  as  fowls  reared  on  the  premises 
do,  being  continued  longer  than  advisable  in  the  summer  quarters.  In  fact  the  stock  in  summer 
quarters  may  come  along  as  fast  at  present  as  if  in  winter  quarters,  but  the  point  is  to  avoid 
moving  them  just  as  they  are  about  to  begin  laying,  and  to  guard  against  too  much  exposure, 
when,  as  is  often  the  case,  the  coops  are  unsuitable  for  cold,  stormy  weather. 

With  fowls  brought  to  a  new  place,  sickness  may  easily  develop  if  conditions  are  specially 
unfavorable.  Hence  it  is  better  to  have  the  house  all  ready  before  a  fowl  is  put  into  it,  and  not 
to  get  fowls  until  the  house  is  ready  for  them.  A  great  many  do  buy  fowls  and  keep  them  con- 
fined in  small  coops  perhaps  for  a  mouth,  while  making  the  house  ready.  This  gives  the  fowls 
a  very  poor  start  for  the  winter. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  139 


LESSON    XVIII  . 


Exhibiting    Fowls. 


Practical  Value  of  Exhibiting  to  the  Exhibitor. 

TOO  many  poultry  keepers  who  keep  poultry  primarily  for  profit,  or  for  poultry  and 
eggs  for  the  home  table,  regard  the  exhibiting  of  fowls  and  the  breeding  of  fowls 
for  "fancy"  points,  as  of  no  particular  interest  to  "practical"  people,  and  of  no 
actual  value  to  them. 

This  is  an  error.  Without  conceding  to  "  the  fancy  "  that  preeminence  in  the  development 
of  poultry  interests  which  fanciers  like  to  claim  for  it,  everyone  well  informed  in  poultry 
matters  must  allow  it  credit  for  a  great  deal  of  the  progress  made  and  still  making,  and  must 
also  admit  that  a  thorough  knowledge,  or  even  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  characteristics  of  fowls 
and  the  principles  of  breeding  for  uniform  results  is  rarely  acquired  by  a  poultryman  who 
takes  no  interest  in  exhibition  points  and  exhibits  of  many  fowls.  There  are,  of  course,  a 
great  many  so-called  fanciers  who  know  little  of  breeding,  but  the  poultryman  who  takes  no 
interest  in  "fancy"  points,  and  does  not  breed  at  all  for  appearance  —  for  beauty,  either 
according  to  the  general  standards  or  according  to  some  fixed  ideas  of  his  own,  and  still  pro- 
duces good  fowls,  is  such  a  rarity  that  I  have  yet  to  meet  the  first  one.  Practical  poultrymen 
who  disregard  "fancy"  points,  as  a  rule,  breed  absolutely  without  intelligent  selection.  A  very 
large  proportion  of  their  stock  is  decidedly  inferior,  even  when  nominally  their  stock  is  thor- 
oughbred, and  I  have  repeatedly  seen  in  the  yards  of  such  breeders  very  poor  birds,  both  male 
and  female,  in  the  breeding  pens,  and  good  ones  not  used  for  breeding,  or  good  males  mated 
with  inferior  females,  and  vice  versa,  with  the  result  that  only  a  very  few  good  specimens  were 
produced  when  there  was  good  stock  enough  in  the  yards,  if  properly  handled,  to  have  given 
the  poultryman  two  or  three  times  as  many  good  young  birds  as  he  got  by  his  way  of  mismat- 
ing,  and  many  of  them  very  much  superior  to  any  that  he  did  produce. 

Now  through  books  and  papers  a  poultry  keeper  who  is  sufficiently  interested  in  a  variety  of 
fowls  to  "  read  up  "  on  it,  may  learn  a  great  deal  without  ever  attending  a  show  or  making  an 
exhibit;  but  he  is  sure  to  get  a  great  many  ideas  that  are  wrong,  to  entirely  overlook  many 
points  of  importance,  and  fail  much  oftener  than  is  necessary  in  assigning  to  various  excellencies 
and  faults  their  proper  values. 

Without  exhibiting,  a  poultry  keeper  who  will  attend  the  shows  and  mingle  with  the  fanciers 
there,  will  learn  a  great  deal  that  self-taught  he  misses,  and  will  learn  more  easily  and  quickly 
many  of  the  things  he  would  learn  by  himself;  but  it  is  the  universal  testimony  of  those  who 
have  gone  through  these  several  degrees  of  instruction  in  breeding  and  selecting  for  points  that 
a  personal  experience  in  exhibiting  when  the  exhibitor  attends  the  show  and  gets  the  benefit  of 
it  is  the  best  way  to  learn — so  much  better  than  any  other  way  that  there  is  no  comparison. 

In  such  experiences  the  results  of  errors  in  judgment  in  breeding,  selection,  and  preparation 
of  fowls  for  exhibition  become  conspicuous  while  the  corresponding  correct  condition  or 
method  may  be  clearly  illustrated  by  a  more  successful  competitor.  Then  there  is  no  place 
like  the  exhibition  room  for  a  breeder  to  learn  to  estimate  the  types  and  characteristics  which 


140  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

please  him  in  his  fowls  at  home  at  their  true  value,  and  without  disregarding  his  individual 
tastes  and  preferences  to  learn  to  modify  them  to  harmonize  better  with  popular  ideas.  If  one 
wishes  to  sell  fine  stock,  or  to  gain  a  reputation  for  producing  and  having  good  stock  he  must 
keep  his  i'deals  somewhere  near  those  of  the  rest  of  mankind  interested  in  that  kind  of  stock. 

Exhibitions  of  poultry  are  now  so  numerous  and  so  well  distributed  that  there  are  compara- 
tively few  poultry  keepers  too  far  from  any  show  to  make  an  exhibit  and  look  after  it  in 
person  at  least  during  a  part  of  the  time,  and  I  would  urge  every  reader  of  this  lesson  who 
keeps  thoroughbred  fowls  to  make  it  a  point  to  exhibit  at  the  most  accessible  show.  If  one 
begins  early  to  make  preparations  to  exhibit,  and  gets  his  birds  in  good  physical  condition  they 
will  have  to  be  very  poor  indeed  to  discredit  him.  Where  most  novices  "fall  down"  is  in 
putting  off  selection  and  preparation  of  specimens  to  be  exhibited  until  within  a  few  days  of 
the  show.  Then  the  birds  go  into  the  show  in  poor  condition,  and  attract  attention  more  by 
poor  condition  than  by  lack  of  merit. 

I  have  at  such  length  urged  readers  to  exhibit  not  merely  for  reasons  already  given,  but 
because  so  many  breeders  of  thoroughbred  fowls  attach  undue  importance  to  the  matter  of 
winning  at  a  show,  and  feel  that  it  is  a  disgrace  to  lose  and  therefore  poor  policy  to  show  unless 
one  has  a  reasonable  expectation  of  winning.  Then  assuming  that  there  will  certainly  be 
many  good  birds  in  their  class,  shown  in  good  condition,  they  conclude  the  wiser  course  for 
them  is  to  keep  their  birds  at  home.  There  is  pleasure  and  generally  credit  in  winning,  but 
wherever  competition  is  strong  many  must  lose,  and  there  is  no  disgrace  in  losing  with  a 
good  exhibit  to  a  rival  with  a  better  one.  And  in  the  show  room  merit  gets  the  recognition  of 
visiting  fanciers,  whether  decorated  with  prizes  or  among  the  unplaced.  I  might  say  much 
more  to  urge  reluctant  breeders  to  show,  but  I  hope  that  what  has  been  said  will  prove  enough, 
and  in  passing  to  the  matters  properly  in  this  lesson  will  only  say  further  that  the  reader  fol- 
lowing these  lessons  who  neglects  to  learn  what  he  can  in  that  way  will  get  much  less  out  of 
some  of  the  more  advanced  lessons  in  the  course  than  those  who  do. 

Something  About  the  Poultry  Shows. 

American  poultry  shows  may  be  roughly  divided  into  two  general  classes: — 
The  poultry  exhibit  held  in  connection  with  an  agricultural  fair. 
The  poultry  show,  proper,  held  by  an  association  organized  solely  or  primarily  for 
that  purpose. 

Though  there  is  a  rapidly  increasing  number  of  exceptions  it  is  still  true  in  a  general  way 
that  the  exhibits  at  fairs,  where  they  usually  occupy  a  subordinate  position,  bring  out  a  decidedly 
inferior  clas.s  of  fowls,  are  often  judged  by  incompetent  persons,  and  do  not  begin  to  afford 
the  opportunities  for  instruction  and  comparison  of  ideas  that  are  found  in  even  the  smallest  of 
the  special  poultry  shows. 

For  this  reason  readers  who  wish  to  exhibit  for  the  sake  of  what  they  may  learn  by  exhibit- 
ing are  advised  to  exhibit  at,  a  winter  show  unless  the  poultry  exhibit  at  the  fair  accessible  to 
them  is  conducted  in  about  the  same  way  as  a  winter  show,  and  is  well  patronized  by  fanciers 
in  the  territory  from  which  it  draws  exhibits.  A  number  of  the  more  important  fairs  now  run 
their  poultry  departments  on  such  a  basis,  and  some  of  them  are  as  good  or  better  than  the 
winter  shows  in  their  vicinity.  Occasionally  there  is  enough  local  interest  in  the  poultry 
exhibit  at  a  small  fair  to  secure  suitable  classification,  the  employment  of  a  competent  judge, 
and  consideration  of  standard  requirements  in  the  placing  of  awards.  At  such  a  fair  it  is 
worth  while  to  exhibit.  But  the  general  run  of  agricultural  fairs,  with  primitive  classification, 
lack  of  orderly  arrangement,  poor  care  of  exhibits,  and  judgment  according  to  no  known  stand- 
ards and  by  men  of  no  qualifications  for  the  work,  do  not  afford  the  opportunities  for  acquiring 
knowledge  which  I  have  in  mind;  and  while  I  would  not  dissuade  anyone  from  exhibiting  at 
such  a  fair  to  help  the  exhibit,  I  would  not  want  a  reader  to  limit  himself  to  such  experience 
in  exhibiting  and  think  he  had  followed  my  advice. 

Fowls  Are  Judged  by  the  *«  Standard.' 

At  all  well  managed  shows  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  fowls  are  judged  by  the  "Amer- 
ican Standard  of  Perfection."  This  book  is  a  collection  of  descriptions  of  varieties  of  fowls 
made  to  conform  to  a  general  model,  compiled  by  the  American  Poultry  Association,  and  is  by 


FIR  1ST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  HI 

custom  and  general  consent  the  common  "  law  "  as  to  requirements  for  the  varieties  included. 
A  copy  of  this  book  it  is  essential  that  every  exhibitor  and  every  breeder  of  thoroughbred  fowls 
should  have.  Trying  to  breed  and  exhibit  without  the  information  in  this  book  is  like  trying 
to  do  any  kind  of  work  requiring  accuracy  without  a  model,  pattern  or  plan.  Probably  four- 
fifths  of  the  mistakes  of  new  exhibitors  are  directly  due  to  their  failure  to  inform  themselves 
about  Standard  requirements. 

True  the  Standard  contains  errors,  and  errors  are  sometimes  made  in  applying  it.  For  these 
an  exhibitor  is  not  responsible.  The  exhibitor  is  responsible  for  his  own  failures  to  conform  to 
the  Standard  requirements  that  are  plain  and  unmistakable,  and  he  can  only  be  sure  that  he 
makes  no  errors  here  by  consulting  the  Standard  on  every  point  which  may  concern  his  exhibit. 

Applying    the    Standard    in    Selection    of   Specimens    to    Exhibit. 

To  a  novice  who  has  never  seen  the  application  of  the  Standard  demonstrated  in  judging, 
and  had  the  opportunity  to  have  the  demonstrations  which  specially  interested  him  further 
explained  by  the  judge  or  other  breeders,  many  of  the  descriptions  in  the  Standard  are  vague 
and  indefinite,  out  with  these  descriptions  he  need  not  concern  himself  at  this  stage.  Leaving 
them  for  the  present  he  should  give  his  attention  to  the  points  that  are  clearly  and  unmistakably 
plain,  for  these  are,  as  a  rule,  the  points  upon  which  judges  most  nearly  agree  in  the  applica- 
tion of  the  Standard,  and  under  any  competent  judge  a  specimen  is  almost  certain  to  suffer  if 
"off"  in  any  of  these  points.  In  regard  to  them,  knowing  what  the  Standard  says,  even  the 
novice  may  know  what  the  judge  will  do  about  them. 

The  best  way  to  study  the  Standard  description  of  a  variety  of  fowls  is  to  have  one  or  more 
males  and  females  of  the  variety  under  consideration  cooped  where  they  can  be  handled  at  will, 
and  examine  each  section  in  the  birds  as  the  description  of  it  is  read  in  the  book.  The  better 
the  specimen  the  easier  it  is  to  understand  the  description.  It  is  advisable  for  the  prospective 
exhibitor  to  give  himself  several  drills  of  this  kind  to  familiarize  himself  with  the  Standard 
requirements  before  he  undertakes  to  select  specimens  to  exhibit. 

m.  The  descriptions  state  in  a  concise  way,  and  almost  without  explanation,  what  is  required  in 
an  ideal  specimen. 

Having  selected  one  or  more  specimens  which  seem  to  be  his  best  according  to  the  descrip- 
tion, the  novice  should  next  look  up  the  disqualifications  and  examine  carefully  for  them,  for  a 
bird  that  is  plainly  disqualified,  though  in  every  other  way  a  fine  specimen,  and  the  disqualify- 
ing feature  a  very  trivial  one,  is  not  only  not  given  a  prize,  but  in  score  card  shows  most  judges 
quit  scoring  as  soon  as  they  find  a  disqualification,  and  the  exhibitor  is  thus  left  without  the 
record  of  the  judge's  complete  estimate  of  the  quality  of  the  specimen,  a  distinct  disappoint- 
ment and  misfortune  when  he  shows  to  learn. 

On  page  28  of  "  The  Standard  of  Perfection"  is  given  the  list  of  general  disqualifications  — 
that  is.  of  disqualifications  which  are  the  same  for  all  or  many  breeds.  Preceding  the  descrip- 
tion of  each  variety  the  additional  special  disqualifications  for  that  variety  are  given. 

To  illustrate  the  method  of  looking  for  disqualifications:*  Suppose  a  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 
is  under  examination.  Turning  to  the  list  of  general  disqualifications,  the  reader  sees  at  once 
that  the  first  three  do  not  apply  to  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks.  Coming  to  the  fourth  he  finds  it 
read?  thus: — 

"  Ju  all  breeds,  required  to  have  unfeathered  shanks,  any  feather  or  feathers  on  shanks,  feet, 
or  toes,  or  unmistakable  indications  of  feathers  having  been  plucked  from  the  same." 

Now  the  novice  whose  idea  of  a  feathered  leg  is  of  a  leg  profusely  covered  with  feathers 
is  apt  to  let  that  pass  without  a  thought ;  but  he  needs  to  give  the  point  attention,  and  the  legs 
and  feet  of  the  fowl  a  very  careful  examination,  for  tiny  feathers  are  often  found  on  the  out- 

*The  reader  must  not  understand  that  what  follows  is  the  method  pursued  by  a  judge,  or  an  experienced 
exhibitor,  or  the  met  hod  he  will  himself  pursue  when  familiar  wiili  the  Standard  and  with  his  breed.  The 
expert  knowing  the  disqualifications  without  reference  to  the  book,  and  having  them  all  in  mind,  sees  the 
more  conspicuous  ones  at  a  glance.  The  breeder  will  look  next  for  those  most  common  in  his  stock.  The 
judge  using  the  score  card  generally  begins  with  the  first  section,  and  going  right  through  the  list,  takes  note 
*^f  a  disqualification  when  he  reaches  the  section  iiisin. 


142  FIR  1ST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

side  of  the  shank  of  a  fowl  of  a  clean  legged  breed,  and  frequently  they  are  so  small  that  it 
lakes  a  very  careful  examination  to  discover  them.  Sometimes  there  is  only  a  stub  of  a 
quill,  but  that  is  as  fatal  as  more. 

While  examining  for  feathers  he  should  also  look  for  down  between  tbe  toes  of  the  fowl. 
By  "  down  "  is  meant,  as  he  will  see  by  referring  to  the  glossary  of  technical  terms,  a  feather  so 
minute  that  the  quill  is  not  visible  to  the  naked  eye.  Formerly  down  disqualified  the  same  as 
feathers,  but  now  it  is  cut  as  a  defect. 

The  next  general  disqualification  in  regard  to  clipped  wings  also  applies  to  Plymouth  Rocks. 
If  any  of  the  specimens  under  consideration  have  had  their  wings  clipped  there  is  ample  time 
now  to  pull  out  the  clipped  feathers  and  let  new  ones  grow  in  their  place.  Even  if  not  full 
grown  at  the  time  of  the  show  the  new  feathers  show  the  quality  of  the  wing.  The  reason  for 
disqualifying  for  clipped  wings  is  that  if  they  are  allowed  to  pass  with  a  cut  it  is  possible  In 
some  varieties  by  clipping  a  wing  to  remove  a  disqualification. 

The  next  general  disqualification  which  might  apply  is  lopped  comb.  The  glossary  defines  a 
lopped  comb.  Such  combs  are  rarely  found  now  on  Plymouth  Rocks. 

Next,  "decidedly  wry  tails,"  that  is,  the  tail  carried  to  one  side.  This  is  quite  a  common 
defect,  and  is  often  unsuspected.  A  badly  wry  tailed  bird  it  is  no  use  to  exhibit,  but  one  that 
is  only  slightly  wry,  or  only  occasionally  carried  wry,  an  exhibitor  will  take  chances  with,  for 
ft  is  the  practice  of  judges  examining  such  a  bird  to  try  to  get  it  to  carry  the  tail  straight,  and 
if  it  will  do  so  for  only  an  instant  the  tail  will  pass. 

Next,  "  crooked  backs."  This  is  another  fault  often  unsuspected  by  even  exhibitors  of  some 
experience,  but  easily  found  by  the  judge  who  passes  his  hand  over  the  back  of  the  fowl. 

Next,  "  side  sprig  or  sprigs  on  the  comb  of  single  comb  varieties."  This  is  a  very  common 
defect. 

Next,  "  decidedly  squirrel  tail,"  that  is,  the  tail  carried  so  high  as  to  suggest  the  habit  of  the 
squirrel  which  carries  its  tail  curving  to  the  back.  In  short  tailed  breeds  like  Plymouth  Rocks 
this  defect  is  rarely  conspicuous. 

Next,  "  blind  in  both  eyes."    A  very  rare  defect. 

Next,  "  in  four  toed  breeds,  more  or  less  than  four  toes  on  either  foot."  Not  a  very  common 
defect. 

Next,  "  entire  absence  of  main  tail  feathers."  The  feathers  will  not  be  absent  unless  they 
have  been  removed.  They  do  sometimes  get  removed  accidentally.  The  disqualification  is  to 
cover  the  case  of  the  exhibitor  who  would  remove  them  to  hide  a  fault  or  disqualification. 

This  completes  the  list  of  general  disqualifications  for  faults  which  apply  in  this  case.  Turn- 
Ing  to  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks,  we  find  the  following  special  disqualifications: — 

"Positive  white  in  ear  lobes;  red  in  any  part  of  the  plumage;  two  or  more  solid  black 
primaries,  secondaries,  or  main  tail  feathers;  shanks  other  than  yellow  with  due  allowance  for 
fading  with  age,  dark  spots  not  to  disqualify." 

The  search  for  these  disqualifications  leads  to  an  examination  of  the  ear  lobes  for  white,  of 
the  entire  plumage  for  feathers  with  reddish  spots  on  them,  of  the  stiff  feathers  of  wings  and 
tail,  and  of  the  color  of  shanks  and  toes. 

In  looking  for  these  disqualifications  the  exhibitor  will  have  given  his  birds  a  pretty  careful 
examination,  but  he  is  not  through  yet.  On  pages  29  and  30  of  "  The  Standard,"  is  a  list  of 
cuts  for  the  more  common  defects,  by  reference  to  which  he  will  learn  the  common  faults  and 
find  some  for  which  a  specimen  may  be  punished  so  severely  that  as  far  as  chances  of  winning 
are  concerned  it  might  as  well  be  disqualified. 

We  will  not  go  through  these  here  in  detail,  but  refer  only  to  the  more  important  ones  which 
apply  in  the  case.  These  refer  to  irregular  barring  and  to  black  feathers.  Irregular  barring  is 
very  common,  and  there  are  very  few  Barred  Rocks  which  have  not  some  black  or  partly  black 
feathers  in  the  plumage,  which  an  inexperienced  observer  might  not  notice  at  all,  but  which 
the  judge  as  a  rule  quickly  discovers.  It  is  the  common  practice  of  exhibitors  to  remove  these 
feathers  before  showing  the  fowls.  I  will  not  attempt  here  to  go  into  the  ethics  of  the  practice, 
but  pass  the  matter  with  the  remark  that  it  is  quite  useless  for  one  who  leaves  them  to  show  in 
competition,  and  that  as  the  Standard  is  worded  now  their  removal  is  not  "faking." 

For  any  other  variety  the  prospective  exhibitor  should  proceed  in  the  same  way,  letting  no 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


143 


section  connected  with  a  disqualification  pass  without  a  careful  examination,  and  paying  special 
attention  to  the  common  defects  mentioned  for  the  variety  he  is  considering.  It  takes  time,  and 
it  is  work ;  but  it  is  work  that  must  be  done  if  one  would  compete  successfully  in  the  exhibition 
room,  and  is  quite  as  necessary,  if  though  never  exhibiting  he  wishes  to  breed  to  Standard 
requirements.  Without  this  careful  examination,  and  the  thorough  knowledge  it  gives  both 
of  the  variety  and  of  the  individuals  handled,  a  breeder  will  soon  find  his  stock  more  dis- 
tinguished for  its  faults  than  for  its  excellencies. 

Fitting  Fowls  for  Exhibition. 

Having  selected  such  specimens  suitable  for  exhibition  as  are  required,  the  next  thing  in 
order  is  to  make  or  keep  them  fit  for  exhibition.  Occasionally  a  specimen  can  be  taken  from 
the  yard  and  sent  to  a  show  without  any  preliminary  fitting  or  handling,  but  most  birds  need 
something  done  for  them. 

Broken  feathers  should  be  removed  that  they  may  grow  out  again.  Scaly  legs  should  be 
cleaned  up.  Specimens  short  in  weight  or  out  of  condition  should  have  special  care  and  feed- 
ing. For  each  variety,  according  to  its  necessities,  provision  must  be  made  to  get  and  keep  the 
specimens  in  perfect  condition.  Fowls  with  feathered  legs  must  not  be  allowed  to  scratch  and 
break  the  feathers  on  the  feet.  White  fowls  especially  must  be  kept  clean.  Males  must  be 
kept  where  they  cannot  injure  their  combs,  and  the  keeper  must  see  that  they  roost  where  they 
will  not  break  the  tail  feathers.  Often  roosts  too  close  to  the  wall  completely  ruin  the  feathers 
in  the  tails  of  the  male  birds. 

For  all  this  general  preliminary  fitting  fowls  should  be  kept  in  their  usual  quarters,  these, 
if  necessary,  being  arranged  to  insure,  as  far  as  possible,  freedom  from  liability  to  accidents 
that  might  spoil  their  condition. 

As  the  time  when  they  are  to  be  exhibited  approaches,  the  fowls  should  be  confined  to  the 
exhibition  coops  for  a  part  of  the  time  at  least,  that  they  may  become  accustomed  to  the  coop, 
and  should  be  handled  frequently.  The  handling  should  be  gentle  and  careful.  If  possible 
a  novice  fitting  his  fowls  for  exhibition  should  seek  the  personal  advice  of  some  more  experi- 
enced exhibitor  at  every  stage,  and  in  no  one  point  is  it  more  important  to  be  "  shown  "  than  in 
catching  and  handling  the  fowls. 

Many  a  novice  finds  that  his  way  of  handling  fowls  results  in  the  case  of  wild,  shy,  and 
nervous  fowls  in  many  feathers  being  pulled  out  or  broken,  and  with  such  experiences  the 
birds  do  not  rapidly  become  docile  and  easily  handled. 

Unless  the  fowls  are  tame  enough  to  be  picked  up  readily  almost  anywhere  they  should  be 

first  caught  from  the  roosts  at  night  and  put 
into  small  coops,  preferably  exhibition  coops, 
something  like  that  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing illustration. 

To  catch  and  handle  them  from  such  a  coop 
have  the  coop  at  such  height  that  the  bird  in 
it  is  easily  reached.  Then  to  catch  the  bird 
reach  in  with  the  left  hand  and  take  it,  with 
its  head  toward  you,  by  the  legs  at  the  hock 
joints,  your  arm  passing  under  the  bird  so 
that  as  it  is  withdrawn  from  the  coop  its 
weight  rests  on  your  forearm,  and  the  palm 
of  your  hand  being  upward.  Don't  catch  by 
the  thighs,  or  the  bird  may  struggle,  and  in 
its  struggles  pull  out  feathers.  If  you  take 
hold  right  with  the  hock  joints  in  the  hand, 
A  Combined  Exhibition  and  Shipping  Coop.  while  the  fingers  grasp  the  shanks,  the  bird 

Dimensions-height  so  in.;  width  30  in.;  depth  24  in.  feels  itself  securely  held,  and  is  likely  to  sub- 
mit at  once,  while  such  struggles  as  it  may  make  cannot  damage  the  plumage. 

If  unable  to  get  the  bird  in  that  way,  catch  it  with  the  right  hand  by  the  wing  close  up  to  the 
body,  and  drawing  it  toward  you  get  the  hold  first  described.  Never  attempt  to  hold  the  bird 
unless  you  have  a  secure  hold  that  will  not  hurt  it. 


144  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Most  birds  respond  quickly  to  firm  and  kind  handling,  and  learn  to  like  it,  but  occasionally 
one  is  found  that  is  very  intractable.  Unless  «such  a  specimen  is  of  remarkable  quality  it  is- 
not  worth  while  to  fit  or  show  it. 

If  the  birds  have  been  given  special  care  for  some  months  to  bring  them  naturally  into  show 
conditions,  the  work  at  this  stage  will  not  go  much  beyond  training  to  make  them  gentle,  to 
have  them  "  coop  broke,"  as  it  is  called.  But  in  the  case  of  white  fowls  it  is  desirable  that  they 
should  be  washed,  and  if  birds  are  to  show  to  advantage  with  well  washed  birds  they  also  must 
be  well  washed.  The  novice  who  leaves  washing  until  just  before  the  show  is  very  likely  to 
make  a  mess  of  it.  The  better  way  is  to  begin  to  practice,  not  necessarily  on  the  birds  to  be 
exhibited,  (any  white  fowl  will  do),  long  before  the  show,  and  be  familiar  with  and  somewhat 
skillful  in  the  process  before  you  try  it  in  the  final  preparation  of  an  exhibition  specimen. 
Take  a  bright  warm  day  in  the  fall,  when  the  bird  can  be  dried  in  the  sun,  for  the  first  attempt, 
and  when  the  general  warm  atmosphere  makes  it  less  likely  that  the  washed  bird  will  catch 
cold  in  being  thoroughly  dried  off. 


Suggestions    From    Experts. 

Supplementing  these  general  instructions,  I  quote  from  three  of  the  best  articles  on  preparing 
fowls  for  exhibition  that  have  been  published  in  this  paper. 


Mr.  A.  C.  Smith,  in  an  article  on  preparing  birds  for  exhibition,  says: — 

"  As  it  is  impossible  in  this  climate  to  allow  birds  to  run  in  the  fields  during  those  months 
when  shows  are  mostly  held,  we  must  imitate  those  conditions,  and  supply  what  nature  fur- 
nishes when  they  are  at  range  in  some  model  pasture.  While  many  poultrymen  supply  some 
of  these  things,  there  are  few  who  realize  the  importance  of  fresh  air  and  exercise.  These  are 
prime  essentials  to  good  health,  and  they  are  about  all  that  is  required  to  make  a  good  coat, 
except  wholesome  food.  To  neglect  giving  the  birds  plenty  of  exercise,  or  even  forcing  them 
to  exercise  if  necessary,  is  to  abandon  our  greatest  help  in  conditioning  fowls.  Fresh  air  is  a 
subject  that  has  been  discussed  but  little  if  at  all  by  the  poultry  press  in  connection  with  the 
condition  of  exhibition  fowls.  The  necessity  of  a  good  supply  of  this  abundant  and  inexpen- 
sive article  is  most  emphatically  urged  upon  all  poultry  keepers.  It  will  affect  the  coat  both  as 
to  hardness  of  feather  and  lustre.  The  reader  has  but  to  experiment  for  a  few  days  with  a 
well  ventilated  hen  house  and  a  poorly  ventilated  one  to  see  the  effect  upon  the  fowls.  Keep 
the  windows  closed,  or  nearly  closed,  both  day  and  night,  and  watch  your  birds  as  to  hardness 
of  feather,  lustre,  and  color  of  head  parts,  and  then  try  a  little  judicious  ventilation,  and  note 
the  difference  in  the  tone  and  appearance  of  your  birds.  Such  an  experiment  may  be  confined 
to  your  own  house  instead  of  being  carried  to  the  poultry  house.  Close  your  sleeping  room 
up  tight  all  night,  and  your  own  feelings  in  the  morning  will  demonstrate  the  necessity  of  a 
supply  of  pure  air  for  the  fowls  at  all  times. 

"  Green  food  is  another  essential  which  birds  crave,  and  it  should  be  supplied  in  good  quan- 
tity. This  leads  us  to  the  subject  of  feeding  fowls  that  are  being  prepared  for  exhibition. 
All  foods  should  be  sweet  and  wholesome.  Fowls  are  not  swine,  and  will  not  thrive  upon  the 
care  usually  accorded  that  much  abused  race  of  animals.  Good  judgment  must  be  used  as  to 
the  amount  of  food.  Too  much  food  means  too  much  flesh,  and  fowls  too  lazy  to  take  the 
needed  amount  of  exercise. 

"  To  get  the  required  amount  of  exercise  in  confined  quarters,  a  litter  of  leaves,  coarse  hay, 
or  rye  straw  should  be  placed  upon  the  ground  to  the  depth  of  four  or  five  inches.  A  few  oats 
should  be  scattered  in  this  as  soon  as  the  birds  are  fairly  off  the  roost  in  the  morning,  if  it  is 
during  the  short  days  of  winter.  Then  as  soon  as  the  mash  can  be  prepared  the  birds  should 
receive  about  two  heaping  teaspoonfuls  each.  This  small  quantity  warms  them  up  and  sets  the 
machinery  of  their  digestive  organs  to  work,  but  is  not  enough  to  destroy  their  appetite  for 
more.  This  mash  should  be  made -of  ground  oats  and  corn  meal,  or  corn  meal,  flour  middlings, 
and  bran,  or  acme  feed.  The  proportions  should  be  governed  by  the  quality  of  the  goods.  A 
mash  that  is  so  light  in  substance  that  it  does  not  cling  together  is  not  rich  enough  ;  neither  is  a 
tough,  dougli  mass  what  is  desired.  This  mash  should  be  seasoned  lightly  with  salt,  but  no 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  145 

spices  whatever  should  be  used,  as  they  tend  to  intensify  the  color  of  the  head  parts  for  a  time 
only,  and  to  diminish  it  in  proportion  thereafter.  It  is  also  advisable  to  use  a  small  quantity  of 
bone  meal  in  this  mash  every  morning,  and  twice  a  week  a  little  refined  fish  meal,  say  one- 
twelfth  or  so.  This  is  a  forcing  food,  and  but  little  should  be  employed  unless  it  is  desired  to 
bring  females  toward  a  laying  state.  Clover  meal  should  be  used  once  or  twice  a  week  in  this 
morning  mash.  It  is  preferable  to  cut  clover,  as  the  latter  is  too  bulky  in  the  crop,  and  often 
clogs  the  passage  to  the  digestive  organs.  The  fowls  should  be  kept  scratching  until  noon, 
when  the  green  food  should  be  fed.  Everyone  has  his  preference;  the  writer  prefers  cabbages, 
as  they  are  the  greenest  and  tenderest  thing  to  be  procured  in  the  winter  months.  Green  food 
can  be  placed  before  them  in  two  ways  —  it  may  be  chopped,  and  a  certain  amount  fed  every 
day,  or  it  may  be  placed  before  the  fowls  in  an  unlimited  supply.  If  it  is  furnished  without 
restriction,  it  must  be  kept  constantly  before  the  fowls,  otherwise  they  are  liable  to  eat  too 
much  when  a  new  allowance  Is  supplied.  Between  three  and  four  o'clock  the  fowls  should  be 
given  the  heartiest  meal  of  the  day.  It  should  consist  of  either  wheat  or  barley,  and  should 
be  well  covered  with  litter.  The  exact  time  that  it  should  be  given  depends  upon  the  length  of 
the  day.  The  object  Is  to  give  the  fowls  an  hour  or  an  hour  and  a  half  of  exercise  before 
they  go  to  roost.  Considerable  can  be  accomplished  by  a  selection  of  grains.  If  the  birds  are 
too  fleshy,  more  barley  and  less  wheat  should  be  used  for  the  evening  feed.  If  the  weather  is 
very  cold,  and  the  birds  in  a  normal  state  of  flesh,  a  small  handful  of  corn  may  be  allowed  each 
one  just  before  it  jumps  upon  the  perch  for  the  night.  With  fowls  that  are  poor  in  flesh  it  is 
well  to  use  more  wheat  and  but  little  oats  and  barley  for  a  scratching  feed.  Corn  should  be 
fed  for  the  evening  feed  to  birds  in  this  condition. 

"Young  birds  of  the  heavier  breeds  which  are  somewhat  under  weight  should  not  be  forced  to 
over-exercise,  (in  such  cases,  increase  of  weight  is  the  main  point) ;  but  a  moderate  amount  of 
exercise  will  prove  advantageous  in  these  cases,  also.  A  great  variety  of  food  should  be  sought 
for  such  birds.  The  mash  should  have  a  greater  proportion  of  corn  meal,  and  a  mixture  of 
wheat  and  barley  with  a  small  proportion  of  oats  should  be  used  during  the  day  to  make  the 
birds  exercise.  Broken  sweet  crackers  of  all  sorts  may  be  used  in  connection  with  corn  meal 
and  bran  as  a  soft  food  to  good  advantage.  In  cold  weather  sunflower  seeds  and  buckwheat  in 
small  amounts  are  good  agents  in  securing  the  desired  object.  The  last  two  are  also  very  instru- 
mental in  procuring  that  lustre  so  desired  by  the  best  exhibitors.  Beef  tallow  is  very  good  to 
give  a  lustre  to  the  coat.  Too  much  is  not  beneficial  to  the  general  health  of  the  bird,  but  a 
piece  one-half  the  size  of  an  English  walnut  every  second  day  will  answer  the  purpose  and 
prove  a  great  treat  to  the  birds. 

"  The  quarters  for  the  birds  during  this  preparation  should  be  all  that  quarters  for  any  fowls 
should  be— dry,  sunny,  well  ventilated,  but  free  from  drafts.  It  would  be  well  to  clean  them  a 
little  oftener  than  usual.  No  chance  should  present  itself  for  the  birds  to  soil  their  plumage,  as 
the  natural  has  more  life  than  the  washed  plumage.  To  that  end  the  droppings  should  be 
removed  a  little  oftener  than  usual,  and  no  soft  or  green  foods  left  where  the  plumage  of  the 
birds  can  come  in  contact  with  them. 

"It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  these  birds  must  be  kept  absolutely  free  from  lice,  and  in 
particular  cases  like  these  nothing  in  my  opinion  answers  as  well  as  a  thorough  dusting  once  a 
week  with  lice  powder. 

"  The  males  and  females  should  for  obvious  reasons  be  conditioned  in  separate  compart- 
ments, if  not  in  separate  houses.  The  males  usually  do  better  with  one  to  three  females,  of 
course  only  those  which  are  of  no  consequence  for  exhibition  purposes.  The  females  may  be 
conditioned  together  to  the  number  of  six  or  eight,  but  when  more  than  that  number  are  placed 
in  the  same  pen  all  do  not  seem  to  thrive. 

"Grooming  is  sometimes  resorted  to  in  order  to  give  the  bird  a  sleek  appearance;  one  which 
has  had  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  exercise  seldom  requires  much,  however.  The  best  implements 
for  such  work  are  the  hands  or  an  old  silk  handkerchief.  The  feathers  should  be  rubbed  very 
lightly  as  they  show  the  effects  of  the  least  wear  very  quickly. 

"The  mention  of  any  tonics,  washes,  drugs,  and  what  may  be  termed  'brilliantines,'  has  been 
carefully  avoided,  as  the  course  here  described  will  do  all  that  those  things  will  do,  and  all  that 
is  necessary  in  forty-nine  cases  out  of  fifty.  Nothing  is  absolutely  required  except  the  every 


146  FIRST    LESSONS    JA    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

day  stock  of  the  cook  room,  and  a  quick  eye  for  the  condition  of  the  birds  and  the  bouses,  to 
enable  you  to  set  up  as  finely  conditioned  a  string  of  birds  as  any  of  your  contemporaries." 

How  to  Wash  a  Fowl. 

Mr.  E.  Wyatt,  in  an  article  on  preparing  fowls  for  exhibition,  gives  the  following  detailed 
instructions  for  washing  fowls: 

"All  white  birds  need  to  be  washed  before  being  sent  to  the  show,  and  this  should  be  done 
two  or  three  days  before  sent  on  their  journey.  To  wash  a  bird  is  a  difficult  thing,  and  may 
rightly  be  called  an  art.  If  it  cannot  be  done  right,  it  had  better  not  be  done  at  all,  for  the  birds 
will  look  ten  times  better  by  not  being  touched  than  if  they  were  washed  and  a  bad  job  made  of 
them.  Those  breeding  white  birds  have  often  noticed  when  passing  through  a  show,  many 
white  birds  looking  smoky  in  color,  the  feathers  sticky,  not  sitting  right ;  in  fact,  looking  very 
unnatural  indeed.  The  matter  was  that  they  had  been  washed,  and  that  by  an  inexperienced 
haLd,  whose  birds  would  have  looked  better  if  they  had  never  been  washed  at  all.  And  so  it 
goes,  if  it  cannot  be  done  right  it  had  better  be  left  alone. 

•'The  first  thing  necessary  is  to  prepare  a  kitchen  for  the  work,  and  start  a  good  brifk  fire  in 
a  wood  stove  Remove  all  the  unnecessary  furniture;  warm  plenty  of  clean  rain  water,  and 
set  three  good  sized  tubs  in  position  around  and  close  to  the  stove.  One  needs  a  good  assistant, 
and  no  better  can  be  found  than  a  good  patient  woman.  One  must  have  an  assistant,  for  many 
things  will  need  tending  to  that  can't  be  done  by  one  person.  First,  have  all  the  birds  ready,  so 
that  no  inconvenience  will  be  caused  by  having  to  go  to  the  hen  houses  for  the  specimens  just 
when  they  are  wanted.  After  having  removed  all  the  dirt  on  the  feet,  if  there  be  any,  a  good 
fanning  is  necessary  so  as  to  get  all  the  dust  out  of  the  feathers  that  is  possible  to  do  so  before 
applying  the  water. 

"Tub  No.  1  should  be  filled  half  full  of  water,  lukewarm,  as  near  blood  heat  as  possible,  or  a 
little  warmer  will  not  hurt.  Put  the  bird  gently  into  the  water,  holding  it  there  either  by  the 
feet  or  by  the  sides  of  the  body,  depending  on  its  disposition.  If  the  bird  has  never  been 
washed  before,  it  will  not  know  what  to  make  of  it  at  first.  It  may  want  to  fly,  or  many  other 
things. 

"  Just  then,  the  operator  will  have  to  exercise  that  highest  of  all  virtues— patience.  Take  it 
easy  for  awhile;  hold  the  bird  down  in  the  water,  partly  immersed,  and  in  awhile  begin  apply- 
ing water  with  a  good  sized  sponge.  With  this  rub  the  feathers  with  the  web  as  they  lay ; 
never  rub  against  the  lay  of  the  feathers.  The  best  way  to  hold  a  bird  in  the  water  is,  when 
seated  on  a  chair  close  to  the  tub,  to  face  the  birds  towards  you,  and  wash  away  from  you. 
You  will  find  it  a  very  difficult  job  to  get  the  feathers  wet.  After  applying  water  with  the 
sponge  for  a  while,  then  begin  using  the  soap.  Castile  or  Ivory  soap  is  good,  but  I  always 
use  Colgate's  shaving  soap  on  my  White  Cochins,  and  White  Cochins  are  the  hardest  breed  of 
all  to  wash  on  account  of  the  great  length  and  fluffiness  of  their  feathers.  With  free  use  of 
water  and  soap  get  the  feathers  all  over  —  neck,  breast,  back,  cushion,  wing,  tail,  thighs  —  as 
wet  and  soapy  as  you  can.  Use  the  sponge  freely,  and  wet  and  wash  the  feathers  right  to  the 
skin  until  you  get  all  that  dry  and  fluffy  appearance  out  of  them.  Then  they  are  properly 
wet. 

"  Continue  rubbing  with  the  sponge,  and  applying  the  soap,  turning  the  feathers  over  and 
over,  and  getting  at  the  entire  surface  of  every  feather  if  you  can.  By  so  doing,  you  will  get 
all  the  dirt  out  of  the  feathers,  and  the  next  step  is  to  get  out  the  soap. 

"  Tub  No.  2  should  be  in  waiting,  half  full  of  clean  lukewarm  water,  as  before.  Here  the 
bird  is  put,  as  in  tub  No.  1,  and  washed  thoroughly,  so  as  to  get  out  all  the  soap.  After 
rubbing  with  sponge,  and  using  clean  water  freely,  take  a  dipper  and  keep  pouring  the  water 
out  of  the  tub  over  the  bird,  letting  it  fall  with  a  little  force  from  about  a  foot  above  the  bird. 
This  will  part  the  feathers  and  cleanse  them  from  the  soap.  Do  this  all  over  the  bird.  If  you 
do  it  right,  one  tub  of  this  kind  of  work  will  be  enough. 

"Tub  No.  3  should  also  be  handy,  and  in  it  some  cold  water  with  just  as  much  bluing  as 
the  good  wife  uses  for  bluing  the  white  clothes.  Into  this  the  bird  is  put  as  before,  and 
rinsed  with  the  cold  bluing  water.  The  water  should  be  just  cold  enough  to  be  chilly.  The 
reason  for  this  cold  shower  bath  is  for  the  same  purpose  that  men  take  them  after  taking  a 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN   POULTRY    KEEPING.  147 

plunge  iu  a  warm  bath — it  prevents  catching  cold.  After  going  through  these  three  operations 
the  bird  is  ready  for  drying,  which  is  not  by  any  means  the  least  important  part  of  the  work. 

"  After  taking  the  bird  from  tub  No.  3,  put  the  bird  on  a  board  placed  on  top  of  the  tub, 
and  by  means  of  the  hands  squeeze  all  the  water  out  of  Its  feathers  you  possibly  can. 
Remove  the  bird  then  to  the  top  of  a  box,  or  a  chair,  placed  very  close  to  a  good  brisk  fire, 
and  begin  toweling  it  with  warm  dry  towels,  so  as  to  absorb  all  the  moisture  out  of  the  feathers 
that  you  can. 

"  Now  the  bird  is  ready  for  drying.  Keep  it  before  a  brisk  wood  fire,  but  not  so  near  as  to 
curl  the  feathers,  or  you  will  spoil  them  so  that  they  cannot  be  remedied.  With  a  strong  palm 
fan  let  the  assistant  begin  the  drying,  first  fanning  one  side  and  then  the  other.  This  part 
of  the  work  is  gone  on  with  until  the  bird  is  thoroughly  dried.  The  fire  needs  to  be  brisk, 
the  bird  kept  turned  around,  and  the  fan  going  all  the  time,  and  it  is  surprising  how  soon  the 
feathers  will  dry  and  open  up  so  nice  and  fluffy.  The  fluff,  the  back,  and  under  the  wings 
will  be  longest  in  drying.  Holding  a  wing  up  with  one  hand,  and  funning  with  the  other, 
will  soon  make  wonderful  changes.  If  the  work  has  been  successful  thus  far,  little  difficulty 
will  be  experienced  in  getting  the  birds  dry  and  putting  on  the  finishing  touches. 

"And  now  we  will  suppose  the  bird  is  nice  and  dry,  and  that  the  feathers  are  free  from 
soap.  It  is  a  difficult  job  to  get  the  feathers  wet  and  soapy,  and  a  difficult  one  to  get  the  soap 
out  again.  All  it  requires  to  accomplish  both  is  time  and  patience,  and  good  clean  warm 
water.  But  if,  on  drying,  it  has  been  found  that  the  feathers  are  sticky  and  do  not  open 
nicely,  which  will  not  be  the  case  if  the  work  has  been  done  right  in  first  place,  put  iu  order 
again  another  fresh  lot  of  clean  warm  rainwater,  and  rinse  over  again  as  before,  and  proceed 
with  the  bleaching  and  drying  again." 

What   to   Do  On   the  Way,  at  the  Show,  and  Home  Again. 

On  these  three  points  Mr.  Smith,  generally  reputed  one  of  the  best  fitters  and  handlers  of 
exhibition  fowls  in  the  country,  gave  our  readers  a  few  years  ago  the  following  advice  :— 

"  Mistakes  which  seriously  handicap  a  bird  are  often  made  in  the  mode  of  shipping  to  a 
show.  Most  anything  will  do  for  a  shipping  coop,  for  some  people.  The  most  common  mis- 
take is  shipping  male  birds  In  coops  that  are  not  high  enough,  as  the  bird  will  take  a 
stretch  now  and  then,  and  if  he  runs  across  anything  new  is  liable  to  jump,  he  will  strike  his 
comb  against  the  top  of  the  coop,  and  when  this  sort  of  exercise  is  practiced  for  a  few 
minutes  that  ornamental  fixture  becomes  anything  but  ornamental.  The  coops  that  some 
leading  breeders  and  exhibitors  ship  in  have  solid  instead  of  slat  tops,  which  are  sure  to  injure 
any  but  the  firmest  and  smallest  of  single  combs. 

"  Experience  has  shown  the  writer  that  single  comb  males  of  the  American  class  should  have 
a  coop  28  to  30  in.  high,  and  not  less  than  17  x  18  in.  on  the  floor.  Males  of  the  rose  comb 
varieties  may  be  shipped  in  coops  4  to  6  in.  lower.  For  males  of  the  Mediterranean  class, 
nothing  short  of  22  to  24  in.  in  height  should  be  used,  and  for  some  birds  the  coops  should  be 
even  higher.  But  one  bird  should  be  shipped  in  a  coop  or  compartment,  no  matter  how  long 
they  have  run  together,  or  how  friendly  they  may  seem.  The  confinement  in  narrow  quarters 
never  improves,  and  often  destroys  the  good  feeling  that  has  heretofore  existed  between  them. 

"  The  larger  and  more  successful  exhibitors,  as  a  rule,  accompany  their  birds,  or  send  an 
attendant  to  care  for  them  whenever  they  exhibit.  Some  of  these  exhibitors  go  so  far  as  to 
say  that  they  will  never  show  a  single  bird  unless  accompanied  by  a  competent  handler. 
Those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  many  duties  and  cares  of  the  average  show  official  can 
readily  understand  that  if  our  birds  are  to  get  extra  care  we  must  supply  it.  The  wisdom  of 
accompanying  birds  or  sending  an  attendant  is  born  of  experience. 

"Your  duties  do  not  cease  when  your  birds  leave  your  yards,  and  begin  again  when  they 
arrive  at  the  exhibition  hall.  It  is  most  necessary  to  have  a  watchful  eye  upon  the  coops  and 
birds  when  in  transit.  Expressmen  are  much  more  likely  to  keep  the  coops  right  side  up  when 
under  the  eye  of  the  owner,  or  one  supposed  to  be  the  owner,  and  the  messenger  less  liable  to 
bury  the  coop  under  baggage  when  you  occasionally  peep  into  the  express  car. 

"  As  soon  as  the  birds  arrive  at  the  show  room  they  should  be  moved  to  some  comfortable 
place,  and  the  show  cages  made  ready  for  their  reception,  if  this  has  not  already  been  done. 


148  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

The  cautious  exhibitor  will  wash  all  drinking  and  feeding  cups  in  as  hot  water  as  he  can 
procure.  This  is  quite  necessary  to  prevent  roup,  canker,  and  other  contagious  diseases,  unless 
you  furnish  your  own  cups,  a  thing  it  is  not  always  convenient  to  do.  Plenty  of  sawdust 
should  be  placed  in  the  bottom,  as  no  chicken  or  fowl  will  stand  in  form  upon  a  substance  too 
hard  to  catch  the  nails.  Then  if  your  birds  are  white  the  cage  should  be  rubbed  free  from 
dust  and  dirt.  It  is  better  to  fill  the  drinking  and  feeding  dishes  before  the  birds  are  placed  in 
the  cages,  as  they  are  much  disturbed  by  the  change,  and  it  is  well  not  to  trouble  them  any 
more  than  necessary  until  they  become  accustomed  to  the  surroundings. 

"  It  is  to  be  supposed  that  the  birds  have  been  in  preparation  for  the  show  for  some  time, 
that  they  are  free  from  vermin  ;  that  the  plumage  is  clean,  as  well  as  head,  legs, etc.  If  the  legs 
and  feet  have  not  been  cleaned,  they  may  be  now  by  applying  castile  soapsuds  with  a  nail  or 
tooth  brush.  These  suds  should  be  rinsed  off,  and  the  legs  rubbed  dry  with  a  soft  rag.  To 
bring  the  color  of  the  legs  out,  a  small  quantity  of  cotton  seed  oil  should  be  thoroughly  rubbed 
in.  The  rubbing  should  be  thorough,  as  the  oil  will  hold  all  the  dust  and  dirt  that  strikes  it. 
The  dirt  that  often  collects  under  the  scale  may  be  easily  removed  after  the  washing  by  using  a 
common  wooden  toothpick. 

u  Lotions  are  often  applied  to  the  face,  comb,  and  wattles,  to  intensify  the  color.  If  the  bird 
is  in  the  pink  of  condition  it  will  scarcely  be  necessary  to  more  than  wash  these  parts  with  a 
sponge  dampened  with  tepid  water.  The  effect  of  most  of  the  washes  used  to  brighten  the  head 
parts  depends  upon  the  quantity  of  alcohol  contained.  Many  use  alcohol  diluted  with  water; 
vinegar  is  often  used.  The  effect  of  this  liquor  is  due  to  the  acetic  acid,  which  is  part  of  its 
composition.  Acids  and  alcohols  brighten  the  color  only  for  a  short  time  —  a  few  hours  at  the 
most.  After  the  action  the  reaction  sets  in,  and  these  parts  become  paler  instead  of  brighter. 
These  agents  have  but  the  effect  of  making  the  bird  appear  in  perfect  condition  for  a  very  short 
time.  After  that  they  appear  to  less  advantage  than  if  they  had  been  left  to  do  their  own  color- 
ing. It  may  be  said  without  fear  of  contradiction  that  the  application  of  these  sharp  acids  and 
hot  lotions  is  not  worth  the  trouble.  It  is  my  honest  belief  that  their  application  has  not 
changed  an  award  or  misled  an  intelligent  judge  in  the  last  ten  years.  About  the  best  thing  as 
well  as  the  simplest  that  can  be  used  for  this  purpose  is  a  very  small  quantity  of  vaseline  well 
rubbed  Into  the  place  of  application.  This  will  intensify  the  color,  especially  in  a  room  of  a 
temperature  as  high  as  that  which  human  beings  usually  inhabit. 

"  The  food  furnished  at  the  average  poultry  show  is  limited  to  hard  grains  of  one  or  two 
kinds.  This  is  not  sufficient  variety,  even  for  three  or  four  days.  It  is  highly  important  to 
supply  the  bird  with  grit  and  oyster  shells,  as  well  as  an  allowance  of  green  foods.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  furnish  the  regular  warm  morning  mash.  This  will  involve  but  little  labor  if  all  Its 
ingredients  are  mixed  dry,  put  in  a  bag,  and  taken  with  you.  It  should  be  the  attendant's  duty 
to  clean  the  coops  in  part  twice  a  day  at  least,  and  put  in  a  fresh  supply  of  sawdust  occasionally. 

"Of  all  the  evils  of  the  show  room  drafts  work  the  greatest  harm.  In  fighting  them,  a  piece 
of  brown  paper,  or  several  folds  of  a  newspaper,  will  be  found  very  effective.  Drafts  come 
from  all  directions,  but  those  that  come  through  a  hole  or  crack  in  the  bottom  of  the  coop  are 
the  most  apt  to  escape  notice.  These  cause  many  colds.  They  may  be  prevented  by  tacking  a 
piece  of  pasteboard  over  the  opening. 

"  In  some  show  halls  the  temperature  is  allowed  to  fall  many  degrees  at  night.  A  change  in 
temperature  of  twenty  to  thirty  degrees  in  a  few  hours  does  not  agree  with  fowls  as  a  rule.  It 
is  advisable  in  such  cases  to  cover  the  top  and  front  of  the  coop  at  night,  after  the  room  becomes 
somewhat  cooler  than  it  has  been  during  the  day,  always  having,  of  course,  some  ventilation. 
Such  a  proceeding  is  also  advisable  when  the  hall  is  left  lighted  during  the  night,  as  the  birds 
rest  better,  and  appear  fresher  if  the  coops  are  darkened  during  the  night. 

"Getting  the  fowls  home  is  fully  as  important  as  getting  them  to  the  show.  As  they  have 
been  so  closely  confined  for  several  days,  they  are  less  vigorous  than  when  taken  out  of  the 
yards,  and  consequently  more  liable  to  disease.  The  care  should  not  slacken  for  one  minute 
until  the  birds  have  been  well  established  in  their  regular  quarters  for  several  days,  and  it 
becomes  certain  whether  or  not  they  are  the  worse  for  their  experience." 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  149 


LESSON    XIX. 


The    Fattening    of  Poultry. 


WHAT  is  fat?  My  dictionary  describes  it,  and  tells  me  that  it  is  a  part  of  animal 
tissue,  and  is  also  found  in  plants.  From  advocates  of  "  scientific"  feeding,  more 
may  be  learned  about  it.  They  discuss  it  as  a  food  element  and  as  a  body  con- 
stituent, and  though  we  may  not  follow  them  through  all  their  ideas,  let  us  give 
them  credit  for  having  made  the  people  of  their  generation  more  familiar  with  the  qualities  of 
food  and  the  requirements  of  the  animal  organism. 

Fat  in  the  organism  is  an  extremely  concentrated  reserve  supply  of  nourishment  stored  for 
emergencies,  and  sometimes,  also,  by  its  disposition  under  the  skin,  made  to  serve  as  a  protec- 
tion from  cold.  Indeed,  when  stored  in  large  quantities  the  bulk  of  it  is  usually  deposited  next 
the  skin,  though  a  good  deal  is  distributed  through  the  muscular  tissues,  and  sometimes  large 
quantities  accumulate  about  the  internal  organs.  Nature's  problem  in  the  disposition  of  the  fat 
on  a  person,  animal,  or  fowl  is  very  like  that  of  a  man  who  has  to  find  place  for  a  store  of 
materials  in  a  workshop  in  which  practically  all  the  available  room  is  required  for  the  work 
carried  on  and  materials  actually  being  used.  But  a  small  quantity  of  fat  can  be  stored  in  the 
body  without  detriment  to  it,  or  interference  with  its  functions.  "Wherever  placed,  it  is  a  dead 
weight  to  be  carried  —  more  or  less  of  a  burden.  An  excessive  accumulation  of  fat  between 
the  muscular  tissues  and  about  the  joints  and  the  juncture  of  sinews  with  the  bones  impedes 
the  action  of  the  limbs.  Large  deposits  of  fat  about  the  internal  organs  seriously  interferes 
with  their  functions.  Again,  the  sense  of  fullness  occasioned  by  such  a  never  failing  reserve 
is  apt  to  dull  the  appetite,  and  the  tendency  to  inactivity  combines  with  this  to  weaken  the 
digestive  organs  and  so  gradually  destroy  the  vitality  and  vigor  of  the  organism. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  poultry  breeder  and  egg  farmer,  fat,  in  excess  of  the  small 
reserve  necessary  to  offset  irregularities  in  feeding,  production,  and  temperature,  is  a  bad  thing. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  the  poultryman  about  to  sell,  and  of  buyers  of  table  poultry,  fat — 
and  a  great  deal  of  it  —  is  desirable. 

The  fowl  in  good  breeding  or  laying  condition  is  not,  as  a  rule,  in  good  table  condition. 
The  chicken,  as  it  runs  on  the  farm  or  in  the  yard,  lacks  the  plumpness  and  smoothness  of  a 
fatted  chicken.  The  lean  fowl  or  chicken,  though  tender  in  flesh,  is  dry  mealed  and  not  espe- 
cially appetizing.  When  hard  meated  it  is  quite  undesirable.  So  for  table  purposes  poultry 
should  be  somewhat  fat.  How  fat,  is  a  question  for  individual  tastes,  or  market  demands,  to 
determine. 

In  some  foreign  countries,  notably  in  France  and  Belgium,  there  is  some  market  demand  for 
excessively  fat  fowls,  and  the  process  of  fattening  fowls  for  this  demand  is  something  of  an  art, 
requiring  considerable  skill,  good  judgment,  and  first  of  all,  fowls  constitutionally  well  adapted 
to  it.  In  England,  the  taste  for  fat  poultry  is  less  pronounced,  and  a  less  degree  of  fattening 
suffices,  but  still  a  good  deal  of  attention  is  given  the  art  of  fattening.  In  this  country  very 
fat  fowls  are  not  wanted  to  any  marked  extent.  In  this  respect  we  are  behind  or  not,  accord- 


150  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Ing  to  the  point  of  view.  What  our  markets  require  for  first  class  poultry  is  poultry  fat 
enough  to  cook  well  in  its  own  fat,  but  not  so  fat  that  much  of  the  fat  still  remains  after  the 
cooking.  Comparatively  few  people  here  have  any  taste  for  an  overfat  fowl.  To  most  people 
poultry  fat,  except  in  small  quantities,  is  nauseating,  and,  of  course,  the  internal  fat  removed 
when  the  fowl  is  drawn  is  of  no  special  advantage  to  the  consumer.  What  the  consumer 
wants  is  a  suitable  amount  of  fat,  properly  distributed  next  the  skin  and  through  the  tissues, 
so  that  in  cooking,  its  oil  penetrates  to  every  part  of  the  meat,  but  yet  the  fat  is  not  anywhere 
in  such  quantities  that  it  remains  after  the  cooking,  and  gives  its  taste  to  the  meat.  To  accom- 
plish this,  a  fowl,  especially  for  a  roasting  fowl,  must  be  quite  fat  — much  fatter  than  our  aver- 
age good  poultry.  Hence  we  may  say  that  there  is  little  danger  of  making  young  poultry  over- 
fat  by  any  ordinary  means  unless  the  process  of  fattening  is  protracted  far  beyond  what  is 
necessary.  With  old  fowls  it  is  different;  many  of  those  seen  in  our  markets  are  excessively 
fat,  and  the  fat  not  at  all  well  distributed,  but  the  greater  part  of  it  waste  —  fat  which  adds  to 
the  weight  of  the  fowl  without  increasing  the  quantity  of  edible  meat,  or  improving  its  quality. 
From  what  has  been  said  I  think  it  will  be  clear  that  fat  in  market  poultry  is  valuable  chiefly 
as  an  accessory  quality.  The  fat  itself,  except  as  it  occurs  in  small  quantities  in  the  muscular 
tissues,  is  eaten  by  comparatively  few  people,  but  people  want  their  poultry  quite  fat  because 
the  lean  meat  of  the  fat  fowl  is,  other  things  being  equal,  superior  to  the  lean  meat  of  a  lean 
fowl.  There  is  another  reason  for  this  besides  the  effect  of  fat  in  the  cooking,  which  has 
already  been  referred  to.  The  lean  fowl  is  lean  because  of  insufficient  nourishment,  or  because 
its  activity  hardens  the  muscles  and  prevents  the  accumulation  of  fat.  After  maturity  the  fat 
fowl  may  begin  to  fatten  because  of  a  constitutional  tendency  that  way,  even  on  a  very  moder- 
ate amount  of  nourishment,  (though  while  growing,  few  will  fatten  unless  conditions  are 
especially  favorable^,  but  the  subsequent  accumulation  of  fat  depends  on  whether  the  natural 
tendency  to  fatten  is  aided  or  discouraged  by  the  poultry  keeper. 

The  stock  that  is  to  be  kept  for  laying  and  breeding  purposes  should  be  allowed  to  accumu- 
late but  little  fat.  Stock  that  is  to  be  marketed  the  grower  generally  wants  to  have  ready  for 
eale  at  the  most  convenient  or  most  favorable  time.  If  he  has  stock  all  of  the  same  breeding, 
and  well  bred,  he  is  likely  to  find  it  much  the  same  all  through.  If  a  part  of  the  chickens  quit 
growing  early  and  begin  to  fatten,  it  is  likely  that  most  of  the  stock  will  do  so.  Generally  such 
stock  is  best  fattened  and  disposed  of  at  once,  though  sometimes  it  pays  to  hold  it  for  a  special 
market  and  high  prices,  for,  as  a  rule,  stock  that  begins  to  fatten  young  under  ordinary  con- 
ditions and  diet  does  not  grow  much  more  frame  or  muscle.  It  is  the  fowls  that  grow  the 
frames  first,  then  round  them  out  with  muscle,  and  then  begin  to  lay  on  fat  that  make  the 
largest  and  finest  poultry  at  maturity.  Such  stock  a  grower  often  wants  to  fatten  a  little  in 
advance  of  its  natural  tendency,  and  to  accomplish  this  he  resorts  to  various  artificial  means, 
some  very  simple,  others  more  difficult. 

Beginners  generally,  and  a  surprisingly  large  number  of  poultry  keepers  of  some  experience 
overrate  the  importance  of  special  food  in  fattening,  and  attach  too  little  importance  to  con- 
ditions and  inherited  tendencies.  The  latter  question  in  particular  is  almost  neglected,  and  in 
consequence  in  this  country  poultry  grown  especially  for  the  table  is  too  apt  to  come  from  stock 
which  is  considered  suitable  for  producing  market  poultry  only  because  it  is  plainly  not  suitable 
for  anything  else.  As  a  result  of  the  general  use  of  many  birds  not  at  all  satisfactory  from  a 
market  poultry  standpoint,  far  too  large  a  proportion  of  our  poultry  can  never  be  fattened 
properly,  no  matter  what  foods  are  used,  and  not  a  little  of  it  cannot  be  fattened  profitably, 
the  process  requiring  too  long  a  time,  too  much  food,  and  too  many  individuals  falling  out  by 
the  way  because  the  digestive  organs  will  not  stand  the  heavy  feeding  and  close  confinement 
necessary  to  make  them  lay  on  fat. 

To  fatten  quickly,  easily,  and  profitably  a  fowl  or  chicken  must  first  of  all  be  plump.  A 
chicken  that  is  plump  at  any  age  can  generally  be  fattened  at  any  age.  A  chicken  that  has  a 
"  lanky  "  period  during  its  growth  it  is  almost  impossible  to  fatten  during  that  period.  The 
best  illustration  of  this  is  seen  in  the  Asiatics,  especially  the  Light  Brahma.  Under  three 
months  of  age  they  may  be  fattened  quite  readily.  From  three  to  six  or  seven  months  they 
tend  to  put  everything  given  them  into  frame,  bone,  and  muscle,  and  cannot  be  fattened,  even 
in  close  confinement  in  such  a  short  period  as  suffices  after  the  frame  is  developed.  Shut 


FIRST   LE  SIS  ON  IS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  151 

them  up  close  and  feed  heavily  at  this  period  and  they  grow  weedily  and  often  become  ill 
formed.  In  many  other  breeds,  and  especially  in  those  having  Asiatic  blood  in  their  make  up, 
the  same  condition  obtains  with  regard  to  many  stocks,  and  sometimes  is  conspicuous  in  a  part 
of  a  flock,  and  as  notably  absent  In  the  remainder. 


In  fattening  poultry,  therefore,  we  have  to  consider  first  the  chickens,  fowls,  or  other 
poultry  to  be  fattened,  whether  they  fatten  readily  or  with  difficulty. 

Next  we  must  consider  the  season,  the  time  of  year  and  the  prevailing  conditions.  Just  as 
all  hens  tend  to  lay  in  the  spring,  nature  tends  to  make  all  fowls  lay  up  a  supply  of  fat  in  antici- 
pation of  cold  weather  with  its  sometimes  heavy  drains  on  the  capacity  of  the  digestive  organs 
to  meet  all  physical  requirements.  Often  fowls  which  could  not  be  fattened  at  any  other  time 
will  fatten  then. 

But,  as  those  who  will  closely  follow  current  comments  on  market  conditions  will  discover 
within  a  very  short  cycle  of  years,  the  weather  in  fall  has  much  to  do  with  the  fattening  of  the 
poultry  crop  of  the  country.  If  the  general  mean  temperature  is  high  poultry  does  not  fatten 
so  readily.  If  the  weather  is  seasonable,  with  crisp,  cool  nights  the  fowls  of  all  kinds  eat  more 
heartily  of  the  heating,  fattening  foods  given  them  and  take  on  fat  much  more  rapidly.  The 
general  crop  is,  to  be  sure,  fattened  by  somewhat  primitive  methods,  but  the  conditions  affect- 
ing it  also  have  their  influence  on  the  work  of  those  who  try  more  direct  and  efficient  methods, 
at  this  and  at  all  seasons.  In  a  very  hot  summer  it  is  frequently  impossible  for  growers  to  get 
chickens  as  fat  as  they  want  them  and  as  is  usual. 

The  conditions  under  which  poultry  is  kept  while  fattening  are  of  at  least  as  much  importance 
as  the  food.  To  facilitate  fattening  their  activities  must  be  kept  as  low  as  possible.  They  must 
be  confined  in  small  yards,  in  pens  indoors,  or  in  fattening  coops,  according  to  the  system  used. 

The  food  used  is  generally  a  food  containing  starches  and  fats  in  larger  proportion  than  is 
advisable  when  the  question  of  maintaining  condition  with  a  view  to  future  usefulness  has  to  be 
considered.  In  fattening  the  digestive  organs  by  heavy  feeding  and  lack  of  general  exercise 
for  the  fowl  are  weakened.  It  rests  with  the  judgment  of  the  operator  to  see  that  they  are  not 
weakened  to  the  danger  point  before  the  fattening  process  is  finished,  for  in  that  event  he  may 
lose  all  the  profit  on  the  operation,  even  if  he  saves  the  stock. 

J* 

The  Simplest  Method  of  Fattening. 

The  soft  roaster  growers  of  what  is  known  as  the  "  South  Shore"  section  in  Massachusetts, 
who  produce  the  finest  poultry  brought  to  the  Boston  market,  continue  the  same  system  of 
feeding  from  the  time  their  chickens  leave  the  brooders  until  they  are  sold  to  be  dressed  and 
marketed  immediately.  Their  bill  of  fare  is  of  the  simplest,  and  the  principle  upon  which  their 
system  is  based  of  the  soundest. 

Cracked  corn,  beef  scrap  and  water  are  always  before  their  chickens.  Green  food  is  supplied 
as  convenient.  Cabbages  are  used  quite  freely  when  grown  at  home,  but  I  do  not  think  are 
purchased  very  extensively.  Green  rye,  sown  in  the  fall  on  the  land  about  the  houses  is  avail- 
able whenever  the  ground  is  bare,  and  with  many  growers  this  is  the  main  reliance  for  green 
food.  Their  chickens  are  grown  on  this  diet,  and  fatten  on  it  as  they  reach  the  fattening  period 
of  their  lives.  As  they  are  especially  wanted  for  early  summer  there  is  rarely  occasion  to 
hasten  fattening.  Indeed,  these  chickens  are  quite  as  likely  to  come  on  a  little  faster  than  the 
grower  wants  them  to,  and  so  be  ready  for  market  rather  in  advance  of  the  period  of  best 
prices.  While  they  may  be  held  for  a  short  time  after  they  are  well  fatted,  this  is  rarely  done, 
for  the  overfat  chicken  is  not  desired,  and  after  the  chicken  is  once  well  fatted  the  risk  of  dis- 
ease in  fat  fowls,  intensified  by  the  fact  that  all  through  life  the  roasting  chicken  has  been 
handled  with  a  view  to  the  quality  of  the  meat  rather  than  to  strength  and  vigor,  makes  it 
inadvisable  to  hold  it  long. 

The  principle  upon  which  these  South  Shore  soft  roaster  growers  work  is  this: 

To  make  the  best  growth  and  remain  soft  meated  the  chicken  must  be  quiet  and 
contented,  not  disposed   to  forage  or  roam  about  much,  but  still  inclined  to  take 


152  FIRST    LESSONS    IN   FOULTBY    KEEPING. 

exercise  enough  to  keep  it  in  healthy  condition  through  its  short  life.    They  give  it 
abundance  of  food.    The  food  is  always  before  it.    They  give  it  opportunity  to  go 
quite  a  distance,  and  trust  to  the  abundance  of  food  to  restrain  its  inclination  to 
wander,  while  the  opportunity  to  move  about  is  relied  upon  to  induce  it  to  take  exer- 
cise enough  to  keep  it  from  going  out  of  condition  before  it  is  marketed. 
This  principle,  rule,  or  method,  whichever  we  call  it,  is  perhaps  no  better  in  results  in 
poultry  than  some  of  the  more  elaborate  ones,  but  it  certainly  produces  a  fine  article  at  the 
minimum  cost  for  food   and  attendance.    It  should  be  noted  that  it  is  the  object  of  these 
growers  to  produce  chickens  in  which  the  meat  has  always  been  soft.    Their  method  does  not 
contemplate  improving  the  quality  of  a  hard  mealed  fowl  by  softening  hard  muscles,  and  inter- 
spersing them  with  fat.    With  them  the  fattening  is  strictly  a  finishing  process  intended  to  be 
carried  only  as  far  as  necessary  to  furnish  the  fat  to  cook  the  meat  on  the  fowl. 

The    Next    Step    Toward    Special    Fattening. 

The  soft  roaster  growers,  as  a  rule,  intend  all  their  chickens,  cockerels,  (caponized),  and 
pullets  alike  for  market.  Their  system,  as  generally  operated,  does  not  produce  the  largest 
possible  chicken  from  the  possibilities  with  which  they  start.  There  is  no  need  that  it  should, 
for  the  method  they  use  gives  them  chickens  large  enough  for  the  general  demand.  But,  when 
a  poultryman  is  growing  stock  in  which  the  different  sexes,  or  birds  of  different  quality  are  to 
be  devoted  to  different  purposes,  this  method  does  not  apply  so  well.  The  object,  then,  is  to 
build  up  good  strong,  vigorous,  and  usually,  too,  large  bodies;  and  this  must  apply  to  all  the 
stock,  for  not  until  mature,  or  nearly  so,  can  the  selection  of  individuals  for  the  different  pur- 
poses be  made.  Chickens  handled  for  this  purpose  for  many  months  would  not  readily  adapt 
themselves  to  the  method  of  heavy  feeding  and  reduced  activity.  They  would  come  to  it  in 
time  with  the  inducements  it  offers  them,  but  when  a  poultryman  has  reached  the  point  of 
culling  out  the  chickens  that  are  to  go  to  market,  he  usually  wants  to  fit  them  for  market,  and 
dispose  of  them  as  quickly  as  possible.  To  accomplish  this  he  confines  them  somewhat  closely, 
mid  feeds  more  heavily  and  more  fattening  foods. 

In  the  case  of  partly  grown  chickens  of  the  small  and  medium  sized  breeds,  this  kind  of 
forcing  is  likely  to  give  temporarily  very  rapid  growth  with  a  slight  accumulation  of  fat.  I 
used  to  take  Plymouth  Rock,  Wyandotte,  and  Buff  Leghorn  chicks,  weighing  a  pound  to  a 
pound  and  a  quarter  each,  confine  them  in  lots  of  about  forty,  in  pens  8  ft.  square,  with  yards 
containing  about  300  sq.  ft.,  and  feed  heavily  on  corn  cake,  wheat,  and  cracked  corn,  and  put 
eight  ounces  of  weight  on  each  of  them  in  a  week.  This  was  my  system  of  handling  chicks  to 
dress  for  broilers.  If  my  orders  for  broilers  left  any  to  grow  a  little  too  large  for  that  purpose 
they  were  kept  under  about  the  same  conditions  —  perhaps  a  little  more  exercise  and  more 
variety  of  food  for  a  few  weeks,  then  again  given  a  week  of  finishing  to  fit  them  for  "  frys," 
and  at  this  second  fattening  they  generally  put  on  much  more  fat. 

The  method  luse  at  present  is  more  particularly  adapted  to  older  fowls,  though  it  slightly 
improves  the  condition  of  those  taken  from  the  yard  to  be  killed  for  our  own  table  at  a  stage  at 
which  they  do  not  readily  fatten. 

When  cockerels  are  well  grown,  I  plan  to  have  a  few  fattening  all  the  time  until  all  destined 
for  the  table  have  been  used.  They  are  simply  shut  in  a  small  pen  or  coop,  fed  mash  the  same 
as  the  rest  of  the  stock  once  a  day,  and  for  the  rest  have  cracked  corn  and  water  before  them 
all  the  time.  On  this  treatment  most  of  them  will  fatten  as  fast  as  we  care  to  have  them,  in 
from  one  to  two  weeks,  the  average  being  about  ten  days.  If  it  should  happen  that  any  are 
not  killed  within  two  weeks  we  are  quite  sure  of  finding  them  overfat. 

These  chickens  are  full  fed  and  in  good  condition  before  being  shut  up.  I  think  they  will 
run  a  little  harder  meated  than  the  soft  roasters,  as  grown  by  the  South  Shore  method,  but 
there  are  many  specimens  just  as  soft,  and  the  average  is  very  much  better  than  that  of 
ordinary  good  table  poultry. 

Other    Simple    flethods. 

When  a  very  rapid  increase  of  fat  is  desired,  and  especially  when  the  chickens  to  be  fattened 
are  a  little  lacking  in  condition,  the  fattening  process  may  be  hastened  in  various  ways. 


FIR  NT    LESSONS    IN    POULTBY    KEEPING.  153 

When  only  a  small  number  of  chickens  are  being  handled,  a  very  rapid  fattening  may  be 
made  by  feeding  on  a  baked  johnny  cake  of  corn  meal,  with  occasionally  some  beef  scrap  con- 
taining much  fat  or  pork  cracklings.  For  a  large  number  of  chickens  the  .preparation  of 
johnny  cake  is  too  troublesome.  Feeding  entirely  on  mash  of  corn  meal  and  beef  scraps  may 
work  satisfactorily  on  chickens  that  can  stand  it,  but  heavy  mash  feeding  exclusively  is  not  to 
be  recommended  to  a  novice.  The  part  grain  diet  is  safer. 

Fattening  on  ground  dry  feed  mixtures  is  probably  not  to  be  recommended  for  quick  work 
with  chickens  that  have  been  fed  by  another  system,  for  if  they  do  not  take  readily  to  it  valu- 
able time  is  lost.  It  should  be  noted  in  the  instructions  already  given  that  the  fattening  process 
is  simply  an  extension  of  the  regular  system  of  feeding  to  which  the  stock  Is  accustomed.  So 
in  dry  feeding  the  feeder  trusts  in  part  to  confining  tire  chickens  more  closely  and  in  part  to  a 
little  more  fattening  food  of  the  same  kind  he  has  been  using  and  fed  much  the  same  way  to 
bring  about  the  conditions  he  seeks.  Mr.  Park  used  to  fatten  his  cockerels  on  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  corn,  oats,  and  barley,  ground  very  fine  and  fed  dry  in  hoppers,  the  cockerels  mean- 
time being  confined  to  a  grass  run  and  liberally  supplied  with  beef  scrap,  water,  and,  some- 
times, milk.  I  presume  they  would  fatten  as  rapidly  by  this  plan  as  by  mine,  but  cannot  say 
definitely. 

About  Machine  Fattening. 

Of  this  system  of  fattening  I  do  not  propose  to  treat  at  this  stage  of  these  lessons.  Later  on 
it  will  be  taken  up  and  considered  in  a  special  lesson. 

Fattening  Old  Hens. 

If  I  give  in  precept  what  I  practice  I  have  not  much  to  say  about  fattening  old  hens.  My 
experience  has  been  that  when  through  laying  for  the  season  which  is  to  be  their  last  with  you, 
the  best  thing  to  do  with  them  is  to  dispose  of  them  at  once,  whatever  their  condition.  Those 
that  are  fat  will  gain  little  by  keeping.  Those  that  are  thin  cannot  be  fatted  in  a  short  time, 
but  must  be  brought  up  in  condition  first.  Those  that  are  in  good  condition  might  gain  enough 
to  warrant  fattening  if  considered  by  themselves,  but  with  the  others,  and  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  whatever  the  scale  of  operation?,  I  have  nearly  always  had  younger  stock  to  which  it  was 
worth  while  to  give  additional  room,  I  have  always  felt  that  I  made  no  mistake  in  disposing  of 
the  old  hens  in  a  bunch,  letting  them  go  as  they  were,  and  I  think  most  poultrymen  will  find 
the  same  thing  true. 

If,  however,  one  wants  to  fatten  his  old  hens  the  best  plan  is  to  confine  quite  closely  and  feed 
heavily  a  ration  about  the  same  as  they  have  been  getting  for  a  good  laying  ration.  More  corn 
and  more  meat  foods  may  be  added,  but  with  old  hens  it  is  not  best  to  feed  too  heating  foods, 
for  they  cannot  stand  it  as  the  young  stock  will,  and  a  few  hens  going  off  their  feed  and  dying 
will  cut  into  the  profit  so  much  that  it  would  have  been  as  well  not  to  try  to  fatten. 


154  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY  KEETING. 


LESSON    XX. 


Selling  Market  Poultry  and  Eggs. 


TO  DISPOSE  of  the  products  of  the  poultry  yard  to  best  advantage  often  calls  for  as 
much  knowledge,  skill,  and  judgment  as  their  production.  This  is  a  fact  that  too 
many  "producers"  fail  to  grasp.  In  common  with  the  mass  of  producers  in  all 
agricultural  lines,  poultry  keepers,  especially  those  located  a  long  way  from  the  best 
markets,  are  apt  to  regard  the  middlemen  and  the  transportation  companies  as  predatory 
individuals  and  concerns  levying  tribute  on  goods  as  they  pass  from  producer  to  consumer. 
Much  is  said  of  "the  middleman's  profits."  It  is  assumed  that  they  are  large  and  sure,  and 
the  poultry  keeper  is  prone  to  feel  that  if  in  any  way  he  can  retain  the  part  of  the  final  selling 
price  of  his  products  which  represents  the  difference  between  what  he  gets  and  what  the  con- 
sumer gives,  his  business  will  be  much  more  profitable. 

In  general  there  is  more  error  than  truth  in  this  view  of  the  case  as  it  applies  to  the  person 
giving  all  or  much  of  his  time  to  poultry  keeping;  and  I  am  not  sure  that  the  statement  will 
not  apply  to  all  classes  of  poultry  keepers  who  sell  eggs  and  poultry  for  table  use.  Even  those 
located  close  to  good  markets  often  find  it  unprofitable  to  try  to  dispose  of  their  produce  direct 
to  consumers.  There  are,  of  course,  a  great  many  instances  where  it  pays  better  to  sell  direct, 
but  still  I  think  tbe  number  of  cases  in  which  it  pays  better  to  sell  goods  through  the  regular 
channels  of  trade  is  very  much  greater.  Both  from  my  own  experience  and  from  what  I  have 
seen,  I  am  so  convinced  of  this  that  I  think  one  should  make  all  his  plans  and  estimates  on  that 
basis  unless  he  is  absolutely  sure  of  a  direct  market  under  unusually  favorable  conditions. 

Ordinarily  the  producer  who  sells  direct  to  consumers,  thereby  keeping  for  himself  the 
various  amounts  which  usually  go  to  commission  and  wholesale  dealers,  retailers,  and  transpor- 
tation companies,  does  the  work  of  all  these  himself;  and  often  it  costs  him  more  to  do  it  than 
the  difference  in  tbe  wholesale  and  retail  prices. 

He  does  not  always  realize  this.  "With  his  mind  intent  on  "  the  middleman's  profit,"  it  may 
not  occur  to  him  to  figure  out  just  what  it  costs  him  to  sell  his  produce  direct,  and  how  much 
more  he  could  probably  produce  by  giving  all  his  time  to  production. 

When  It  Is  Advisable  to  Sell  Direct. 

If  the  quantities  to  be  sold  are  small  and  can  be  conveniently  delivered  without  taking  time 
which  might  more  profitably  be  given  to  something  else;  or 

If  the  poultry  products  can  be  sold  from  house  to  house  with  other  stuff,  as  milk  or  vege- 
tables; 

If  the  quantities  to  be  sold  are  large  enough  to  make  daily  deliveries; 

It  may  be  more  profitable  to  sell  direct,  though  there  are  very  few  places  where  it  is  possible 
to  make  a  large  route  for  poultry  and  eggs  alone  profitable  enough  to  warrant  giving  it  the 
time  of  a  man  and  team.  There  are  many  poultry  keepers  who,  while  keeping  a  few  fowls,  or 
a  stock  not  large  enough  to  require  all  their  time,  find  it  good  policy  to  sell  direct  to  consumers, 


FIRST    LES8ONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  155 

but  as  the  amount  they  produce  increases,  the  relative  conditions  change.  Where  at  first  they 
put  time  in  the  selling  of  goods  that  otherwise  would  have  been  unoccupied,  as  their  business 
increases  the  time  given  to  preparing  and  delivering  for  private  families  is  time  that  could  be 
used  to  better  advantage  right  in  the  poultry  yard. 

It  should  be  said,  also,  that  the  personality  of  the  poultryman  is  of  some  importance  in  deciding 
guch  a  question  as  this.  Qualifications  as  a  salesman  count  for  as  much  in  disposing  of  prod- 
ucts as  other  qualifications  do  in  producing  them.  As  some  people  can  produce  chickens  and 
eggs  cheaper  than  others,  get  better  results  for  the  same  investment  or  work  :  so  some  can  sell 
better  than  others  —  can  work  goods  off  quicker,  and  often  get  better  prices  as  well.  Like 
several  other  matters  we  have  considered  during  the  year,  the  question  of  the  best  way  to  dis- 
pose of  produce  finally  resolves  itself  into  a  question  of  what  a  certain  individual  can  do  under 
certain  conditions,  and  the  general  advice  I  have  given  is  what  fits  the  case  for  most  individuals 
in  the  greatest  number  of  conditions. 

Taking  up  now  the  special  consideration   of  the  different  methods  of    selling  poultry 
products: 

Selling  Eggs  and  Poultry  to  Private  Customers. 

This  means,  as  a  rule,  the  delivery  once  or  twice  a  week  of  an  approximately  uniform 
quantity  of  eggs  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year.  Most  families  economize  on  eggs  for  a 
few  months  when  prices  are  highest;  indulge  in  them  more  freely  when  prices  are  lowest, 
but  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year  use  the  same  number  of  dozens  per  week.  The  total 
number  of  regular  customers  a  poultryman  can  take,  can  never  be  much  greater  than  the 
number  he  can  supply  when  eggs  are  scarce. 

A  few  families  will  use  poultry  once  or  twice  a  week,  and  a  few  such  customers  can  take  the 
poultry  product  from  quite  a  large  plant  if  hatches  happen  to  be  so  distributed  through  the 
season  that  there  is  something  to  dress  every  week.  The  average  family  buys  poultry  about 
once  in  two  or  three  weeks,  and  while  such  orders  help  out,  unless  a  route  has  a  goodly  pro- 
portion of  customers  buying  poultry  once  a  week  or  oftener,  it  does  not  pay  to  supply  it 
with  poultry, —  speaking  now  of  a  poultry  and  egg  route.  If  other  produce  is  sold  the  case 
may  be  different. 

Selling  to  Large  Consumers  of  Eggs  and   Poultry. 

Some  private  families  trade  would  come  under  this  heading,  but  under  it  I  refer  more  par- 
ticularly to  hotel,  boarding  house,  restaurant,  and  soda  fountain  trade.  Opportunities  to  sell 
at  a  premium  to  this  class  of  trade  are  not  generally  as  good  as  they  were  before  the  days  of 
modern  cold  storage  methods.  The  more  careful  candling  and  grading  of  eggs  by  commission 
houses  has  also  had  its  influence  on  the  situation.  These  and  the  fact  that  many  such  con- 
sumers have  arrangements  with  some  poultryman  for  supplies  of  eggs,  make  it  sometimes  hard 
to  find  customers  of  this  class.  Another  thing  that  works  against  the  poultryman  looking  for 
this  class  of  trade,  is  that  so  often  poultrymen  agree  to  furnish  eggs,  and  within  a  few  weeks 
or  months  find  themselves  unable  to  keep  to  their  agreement,  and  the  customer  Is  left  in  the 
lurch. 

If  one  happens  to  know  or  to  get  in  touch  with  a  good  customer  of  this  class,  supplying  this 
trade  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  ways  of  disposing  of  egg*,  but  I  doubt  whether  it  would 
pay  to  spend  much  time  looking  for  it.  The  prices  obtained  from  this  trade  are  sometimes  as 
good  as  the  best  from  family  trade,  often  a  little  lower,  but  as  the  goods  are  taken  in  larger 
quantities  the  lower  price  may  be  actually  better. 

Probably  the  best  trade  of  this  kind  for  eggs,  and  certainly  the  best  for  poultry,  is  at  the 
summer  resort  hotels  in  the  north,  and  the  winter  resorts  in  the  south.  For  practically  all 
sales  direct  to  consumers  poultry  must  be  dressed. 

flarketing  With  One  Middleman. 

A  most  satisfactory  arrangement  when  it  can  be  made,  is  to  sell  direct  to  retailers  who  sup- 
ply a  high  class  grocery  or  provision  trade.  There  are  many  such  in  every  large  city,  and 
some  in  almost  all  towns,  and  as  they  can  easily  get  fancy  prices  for  fancy  goods  they  are 


156  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

williug  to  pay  something  more  than  regular  market  prices  for  goods  that  suit  their  trade  — 
provided  they  can  depend  on  getting  them  regularly,  and  always  up  to  quality.  For  all  they 
can  work  off  in  the  ordinary  course  of  trade  such  firms  will  usually  pay  the  highest  market 
price,  taking  goods  as  they  come,  up  to  the  amount  their  trade  calls  for.  But  if  they  can  he 
s-ure  of  a  steady  supply  of  extra  choice  goods  they  can  make  a  specialty  of  them,  push  them 
and  extend  their  trade  in  those  lines  to  the  joint  profit  of  producer  and  distributor. 

The  common  obstacle  to  making  arrangements  of  this  kind  is  the  inability  of  the  producer  to 
keep  the  volume  of  his  produce  steadily  up  to  what  he  has  agreed  to  furnish;  repeated  disap- 
pointments of  this  kind  make  these  firms  shy  of  conducting  bargains  with  poultrymeu 
unknown  to  them  or  whose  ability  to  live  up  to  their  agreements  remains  to  be  proved. 
Hence  the  poultry  keeper  looking  for  a  market  of  this  kind  is  apt  to  find  them  quite  unre- 
sponsive to  the  inducements  he  offers  them. 

The  best  way  to  deal  with  this  trade  is  not  to  attempt  to  get  it  until  by  experience  you  know 
just  what  you  can  be  reasonably  sure  of  being  able  to  supply  week  in  and  week  out  through 
the  season  or  the  year,  and  then  make  an  arrangement  on  that  basis.  Such  an  arrangement 
does  not  necessarily  mean  a  contract  for  only  what  can  be  supplied  when  production  is  at  the 
lowest  point,  for  when  production  is  lowest  consumption  is  generally  lowest  also,  and  when 
production  is  greatest  and  prices  lowest,  consumption  is  greatly  increased.  A  retailer  who 
wanted  two  cases  of  eggs  a  week  in  November  and  December,  might  want  four  in  April.  A 
producer  producing  a  case  of  eggs  a  week  in  November  and  December,  might  have  the  four 
cases  a  week  in  April,  and  as  many  as  were  wanted  during  three-fourths  of  the  year,  but  if 
he  could  not  meet  the  retailer's  order  for  the  season  of  slack  production,  and  some  one  else 
could,  the  other  party  would  get  the  trade.  To  put  it  another  way,  the  producer  must  find  a 
retailer  whose  needs  it  is  within  his  ability  to  supply  regularly.  Such  a  customer  he  can  hold 
if  his  goods  and  his  dealings  are  right;  but  if  he  can  but  partly  supply  a  customer  his  hold  on 
that  business  is  far  more  uncertain. 

Considering  this  fact  with  the  general  disposition  of  poultry  keepers  to  enter  into  arrange- 
ments of  this  kind  in  the  spring,  and  the  too  common  necessity  for  dropping  out  of  them  before 
the  summer  is  over:  while  I  would  certainly  not  advise  anyone  to  let  slip  a  contract  of  this 
kind  that  came  his  way,  I  would  emphatically  advise  one  not  to  devote  much  time  to  looking 
for  such  customers  until  experience  had  shown  what  quantities  of  produce  he  could  safely 
engage  to  deliver. 

It  may  seem  to  some  that  it  is  as  well  to  endeavor  to  get  this  trade  for  such  periods  as  one 
can  hold  a  customer  each  year,  looking  up  a  new  customer  each  year  if  necessary,  but  as  a  rule 
customers  of  this  class  are  not  so  easily  obtained  that  one  can  afford  to  do  this. 

riarketing  With  Two  fliddlemen. 

I  can  best  illustrate  this  by  describing  the  method  of  marketing  the  soft  roaster  crop  of  the 
South  Shore  section,  to  which  reference  has  been  made  a  number  of  times  in  these  lessons. 

There  few  of  the  growers  dress  their  poultry.  It  is  sold  alive  to  a  few  firms,  some  of  which 
are  also  growers,  and  these  firms  dress  the  stock  and  distribute  it  to  the  retailers.  By  this 
method  the  inequalities  of  production  are  quite  generally  equalized.  The  grower  is  not  under 
necessity  of  supplying  a  definite  number  of  fowls  each  week,  or  at  any  regular  interval.  He 
holds  his  fowls  until  they  are  ready  — at  their  best.  The  collectors,  being  in  constant  touch 
with  many  producers,  know  just  what  each  has  and  approximately  how  many  he  will  have 
ready  at  any  given  time,  and  arrange  their  collections  accordingly,  with  the  result  that  the 
trade  is  satisfactorily  supplied,  and  the  producer  gets  the  benefit  of  a  near  connection  with  the 
retail  trade  without  any  of  the  difficulties  of  maintaining  such  connection  which  beset  him 
when  he  sells  direct  to  the  trade. 

The  opportunities  to  sell  in  this  way  are  not  general.  They  may,  however,  be,  found  almost 
anywhere  where  production  is  considerable  enough  to  make  collecting  worth  while,  and  a 
good  retail  trade  near  enough  to  take  the  produce  while  still  in  first  class  condition.  There 
are  many  communities  in  the  territory  tributary  to  the  large  market  centers  where  collectors 
of  eggs  and  poultry  will  handle  them  for  the  producer  to  better  advantage  than  he  can  handle 
them  for  himself. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  157 

Marketing  Through  Common  Trade  Channels. 

Through  the  country  at  large  poultry  products  after  they  leave  the  producer  pass  through 
several  hands  before  reaching  the  consumer.  In  many  places  collectors  send  wagons  all  over 
the  country  surrounding  their  headquarters.  In  other  places  country  merchants  receive  poultry 
and  eggs  direct  from  farmers,  generally  in  exchange  for  goods,  and  forward  them  to  buyers 
at  central  points.  From  these  they  go  to  commission  houses  in  the  large  cities,  or  to  the  pack- 
ing concerns  that  handle  poultry  and  eggs,  and  by  these  are  distributed  to  jobbers  and  retailers, 
an  article  frequently  passing  through  four  or  five  or  more  hands  before  reaching  the  con- 
sumer. 

Now  because  each  party  who  handles  the  article  has  to  be  paid  for  his  services,  it  does  not 
follow  that  the  producer  will  save  by  dispensing  with  those  services.  He  will  not  unless  he 
can  perform  them  himself  at  less  cost.  This  he  may  do  in  special  cases,  but  usually  it  is  more 
satisfactory  to  sell  through  the  general  channels,  and  it  is  always  the  better  way  unless  one  is 
sure  he  has  a  better  arrangement  and  with  reliable  parties. 

The  poultry  keeper  whose  products  pass  through  numerous  hands  before  they  reach  the 
consumer,  and  who  perhaps  receives  not  more  than  half  of  the  retail  price,  is  apt  to  fee]  that 
too  large  a  proportion  of  the  price  goes  to  those  who  have  labored  least.  Such  a  view  of  the 
matter  is  superficial.  I  would  not  dissuade  anyone  from  attempting  to  get  all  he  can  out  of  his 
produce,  but  I  do  believe  that  the  mistaken  feeling  that  middlemen  get  more  than  their  fail- 
share  of  the  profits  on  poultry  tends  to  keep  down  the  production  of  poultry,  and  I  want  to 
contribute  what  I  can  to  the  removal  of  that  feeling.  Nearly  always  the  poultry  keeper  profits 
most  by  giving  his  attention  principally  to  production,  and  putting  out  his  produce  through  the 
best  channels  of  trade  that  reach  him,  whether  these  take  it  through  many  or  few  hands. 

Holding    Produce    for    High    Prices. 

Here  we  have  another  matter  in  which  producers,  endeavoring  to  get  as  much  as  possible  out 
of  their  product,  may  make  a  mistake. 

With  the  perfecting  of  modern  methods  of  cold  storage,  the  market  for  limed  and  otherwise 
preserved  eggs  has  quite  disappeared.  There  is  practically  no  market  for  eggs  held  in  pro- 
ducers' hands  at  prices  that  will  make  it  worth  while  to  hold  them.  Whatever  may  be  said  of 
the  profitableness  of  preserving  eggs  for  home  use  during  the  period  of  least  production,  to  hold 
them  to  sell  at  that  time  is  so  seldom  profitable  that  the  poultryman  is  wisest  who  dismisses  it 
from  his  thoughts,  and  markets  his  eggs  fresh  at  the  best  going  prices  they  will  command. 

Poultry  should  be  marketed  when  ready  for  the  use  for  which  it  is  intended.  Broilers  and 
roasters  should  go  at  the  weights,  (and  this  means  weight  in  good  condition),  at  which  they 
will  bring  the  best  prices,  and  the  wise  poultryman  who  is  looking  for  trade  in  table  poultry 
hatches  his  chickens  as  nearly  as  possible  to  have  them  ready  when  they  will  bring  most  money. 
They  may  be  held  a  little  while,  or  worked  off  a  little  early,  according  to  condition  and  prices. 
One  does  not  have  to  be  exact  to  a  day  and  an  ounce;  but  to  sell  to  best  advantage,  any  lot  of 
chickens  has  to  go  about  the  time  it  is  fit.  If  held  longer  it  is  fed  without  profit,  and  may  go 
back  and  be  held  at  a  loss.  A  fuller  consideration  of  the  points  that  arise  in  this  connection 
must  wait  for  future  lessons  on  broilers  and  roasters. 

Selling    Poultry    Alive. 

When  sold  to  a  special  class  of  trade,  poultry  is  usually  dressed  by  the  producer  or  collector. 
When  sold  to  the  general  trade,  it  is  dressed  or  sold  alive,  according  to  circumstances,  the  prin- 
cipal determining  matters  being  the  custom  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  grower's  judgment  as  to 
which  way  will  give  him  best  returns.  Some  markets  want  nearly  all  live  poultry ;  some  nearly 
all  dressed.  St.  Louis  belongs  to  the  former  class;  Boston  has  been  a  conspicuous  dressed  poul- 
try market,  taking  comparatively  little  live  poultry,  but  conditions  are  changing  somewhat, 
and  a  great  deal  of  poultry  is  coming  here  alive  now,  and  many  growers  tell  me  the  returns  on 
live  poultry  are  close  enough  to  the  returns  on  dressed  to  make  it  a  matter  of  indifference  so 
far  as  profit  is  concerned,  which  way  they  ship.  This  has  not  long  been  so.  Until  quite 
recently  a  grower  who  sold  good  poultry  alive  for  this  market  generally  sacrificed  a  good  part 
of  his  profit. 


158  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

In  shipments  of  live  poultry,  returnable  slatted  coops  are  used,  the  express  companies  return- 
ing the  coops  free  of  charge. 

Methods  of  Killing  and  Dressing  Poultry. 

Poultry  sold  to  a  private  or  special  trade  may  be  dressed  any  way  the  trade  will  take  it. 
Poultry  to  be  sold  dressed  to  the  general  trade,  should  be  killed  and  dressed  to  suit  the  market 
to  which  it  goes.  As  far  as  I  am  informed,  all  the  more  important  markets  want  fowls  with 
heads  and  feet  on,  and  undrawn.  There  are  good  reasons  for  this;  the  undrawn  fowl  if 
properly  starved  before  killing,  keeps  better  than  one  that  is  drawn  and  the  air  thus  admitted 
to  the  cavity  of  the  body.  The  head  and  feet  left  on  a  fowl  serve  to  show  more  of  its  age  and 
condition  than  the  average  customer  would  discover  without  them.  In  selling  dressed  poultry 
to  private  or  special  trade,  heads  and  feet  are  often  removed,  and  occasionally  fowls  are  drawn, 
though  this  is  rarely  done  except  for  customers  who  request  it.  If  one  is  selling  fowls  both 
ways,  the  best  way  to  arrange  the  prices  is  to  weigh  all  fowls  undrawn  and  charge  those  whose 
fowls  are  drawn  the  price  for  undrawn  plus  a  small  charge  for  drawing.  When  selling 
dressed  poultry  to  private  trade  I  used  to  weigh  and  tag  all  carcasses  singly  or  in  pairs  as 
required,  after  they  were  cooled.  Then  for  customers  who  wanted  them  drawn  we  selected 
the  weights  wanted,  and  charged  on  the  original,  not  on  the  weight  after  drawing.  I  don't 
think  it  would  be  found  satisfactory  to  attempt  to  make  a  price  for  drawn  poultry  and  one 
for  undrawn. 

Ratio  of  Prices  for  Drawn  and  Undrawn  Poultry. 

If  a  poultryman  is  selling  his  poultry  all  drawn,  and  wanted  to  know  what  to  make  his 
price  with  relation  to  the  price  for  undrawn  poultry,  the  best  way  to  arrive  at  it  is  to  weigh 
an  average  lot  of  undrawn  poultry,  draw  and  weigh  again.  Then  take  the  value  of  the  poultry 
undrawn  at  the  market  price,  add  to  it  the  charge  for  drawing,  divide  by  the  number  of  pounds 
the  lot  weighed  drawn,  and  the  resulting  figure  is  the  price  per  pound  for  the  drawn  poultry. 

Scalding  or  Dry  Picking? 

Poultry  to  be  sold  in  the  eastern  markets  should  be  dry  picked,  for  dry  picked  poultry 
usually  sells  better  and  brings  a  few  cents  more  per  pound  than  scalded  poultry.  For  western 
markets  scalded  poultry  is  preferred  for  home  consumption,  but  the  surplus  ihut  is  shipped 
east  works  out  better  if  dry  picked.  The  method  of  picking  therefore  will  be  determined  by 
where  the  poultry  is  to  be  consumed. 

Poultry  dressed  for  private  trade  will  go  just  as  readily  scalded  as  dry  picked,  unless  scald- 
ing is  badly  botched,  and  as  picking  after  scalding  is  much  easier  than  dry  picking,  it  is  quite 
generally  the  practice  of  those  who  sell  direct  to  consumers  even  in  this  vicinity,  unless  they 
have  enough  to  require  the  services  of  an  expert  picker,  or  to  keep  themselves  in  practice  dry 
picking. 

How  to  Kill. 

If  fowls  are  to  be  sold  with  heads  off  they  may  be  killed  by  cutting  off  the  head,  in  the  good 
old  fashioned  way. 

If  the  head  is  to  be  left  on,  they  should  be  killed  by  bleeding  through  a  cut  made  generally 
into  the  roof  of  the  mouth,  and  penetrating  the  brain.  The  method  of  making  the  cut  has 
been  often  described,  and  some  descriptions  of  dressing  fowls  have  been  quite  profusely  illus- 
trated with  photos  of  different  stages  of  the  operations  of  killing  and  plucking.  The  practical 
value  of  either  words  or  pictures  in  teaching  such  operations  seems  problematical.  When  we 
consider  how  much  practice  with  expert  personal  instruction  it  takes  to  make  a  skillful  picker, 
we  cannot  make  a  very  high  estimate  of  the  value  of  such  instruction  as  it  is  possible  to 
give  on  paper.  I  would  advise  every  one  who  wants  to  learn  to  dress  fowls  or  to  learn 
another  or  better  method  than  that  with  which  he  is  familiar,  to  go  to  an  expert  picker  for  a 
practical  demonstration,  if  it  is  at  all  possible  for  him  to  do  so.  I  give  herewith  several  state- 
ments of  killing  methods  as  given  by  different  experts,  and  those  who  must  learn  by  the  book 
may  take  their  choice. 


FIEST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  159 

Sticking  with  the  Fowl  Held  Under  the  Arm. 

In  one  of  the  most  popular  methods  the  fowl  is  held  under  the  left  arm,  breast  up,  the  mouth 
held  open  with  the  finders  of  the  left  hand,  while  with  a  knife  held  in  the  right  hand  a  cut  is 
made  first  across  the  roof  of  the  mouth  at  the  base  of  the  brain,  then  the  knife  is  turned  and  a 
deep  cut  made  to  penetrate  the  brain.  The  first  cut  severs  an  artery  from  which  the  fowl 
begins  to  bleed  to  death.  The  cut  into  the  brain  produces  insensibility,  and  causes  the 
feathers  to  relax  so  that  they  may  be  easily  removed. 

Then  the  picker  sits  down  and  begins  to  remove  the  feathers.  This  process  is  rapidly  or 
more  slowly  performed  according  to  the  skill  of  the  operator  and  the  condition  of  the  fowls. 
A  fowl  in  good  condition  with  full  plumage,  is  generally  easy  to  pick,  but  the  impression  given 
by  some  writers  that  if  the  fowl  is  properly  stuck  the  feathers  come  out  easily,  and  if  feathers 
do  not  come  easily  the  fault  must  be  in  the  sticking,  is  wrong  — according  to  the  testimony  of 
professional  pickers.  The  pickers  say  that  the  same  lot  of  fowls  may  pick  hard  in  the  morning, 
easy  in  the  afternoon,  or  vice  versa,  and  this  when  the  sticking  is  the  same  and  several  pickers 
are  working  together,  so  that  it  is  not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  are  all  sticking  wrong, 
even  if  there  were  any  probability  of  a  single  expert  doing  so.  I  emphasize  this  point  because 
a  novice  who  tries  sticking  and  dry  picking  and  finds  it  not  so  easy  as  from  the  books  he  got 
the  impression  that  it  was,  is  likely  to  puzzle  himself  over  the  method  of  sticking,  concluding 
that  be  must  be  at  fault  there.  He  may  be,  but  it  does  not  follow  necessarily,  and  he  should  be 
able  to  understand  the  situation  better  if  he  knows  that  even  with  experts  picking  is  sometimes 
hard  and  slow,  and  that  when  rapidly  done  it  is  done  by  skill  and  hard  work.  A  skillful 
picker  will  remove  most  of  the  feathers  from  a  fowl  with  a  few  sweeping  motions,  but  it  will 
take  him  longer  to  get  the  feathers  that  remain,  and  if  the  fowl  is  full  of  pin  feathers  their 
removal  takes  some  time,  no  matter  how  skillful  the  picker. 

The  New  Jersey  Method. 

To  kill  and  pluck  a  fowl  by  the  New  Jersey  method,  Dr.  P.  T.  Woods  gives  the  following 
directions  in  "Profitable  Market  Poultry,"  published  by  the  Cyphers  Incubator  Co.,  a  book 
which  contains  much  of  interest  and  value  to  those  growing  poultry  for  market:— 

"  Provide  two  barrels,  one  for  blood  and  waste  feathers,  and  the  other  for  the  feathers  that 
are  to  be  saved.  Place  these  against  the  side  of  the  wall  of  the  killing  house.  Have  a  good 
sharp  knife  with  a  medium  sized  blade,  an  ordinary  pocket  knife  will  answer.  *  *  * 

"  A  nail  should  be  driven  in  the  wall  above  the  center  of  the  barrel  intended  for  blood  and 
wHste  feathers,  at  a  point  a  little  higher  than  the  head  of  the  picker.  A  noose  of  stout  cord  a 
few  inches  long  is  attached  to  this  nail.  The  fowl's  feet  are  secured  in  this  noose,  so  that  the 
fowl  hangs  up  by  its  legs  against  the  wall,  on  a  line  about  level  with  the  operator's  shoulders. 
The  fowl  Rhould  hang  in  such  a  position  that  the  operator  can  readily  grasp  the  head  and  neck 
with  the  left  hand,  the  arm  in  an  almost  horizontal  position,  with  the  elbow  against  the  side  of 
the  body.  *  *  * 

"  Grasp  the  neck  of  the  fowl  with  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  draw  the  hand 
gently  downward  until  it  strikes  the  angle  of  the  jaw,  forcing  the  fowl's  mouth  open  without 
choking  it.  Hold  the  mouth  firmly  open  with  the  third  finger.  The  knife  is  first  introduced 
into  the  throat,  and  with  a  couple  of  quick  motions  up  and  down,  the  larger  arteries  at  the 
side  of  the  neck  just  below  the  ear,  are  severed  so  that  the  bird  bleeds  freely.  Now,  hold  the 
knife  at  an  angle  with  the  bird's  bill,  pointing  toward  the  back  part  of  the  roof  of  the  mouth 
in  a  line  with  the  eye;  with  a  rapid  movement  drive  the  knife  through  the  roof  of  the  mouth 
into  the  base  of  the  bird's  brain,  and  give  a  quick  half  turn  to  the  blade." 

As  has  already  been  said,  sticking  may  best  be  learned  by  personal  demonstration.  If  that  is 
out  of  the  question,  and  it  is  desirable  to  learn  to  kill  that  way,  and  to  dry  pick,  practice  ou 
fowls  to  be  consumed  at  home  until  sufficient  skill  is  developed  to  enable  you  to  turn  off  a 
good  looking  carcass.  Meantime  pick  by  any  method  you  know,  or  hire  someone  to  pick  for 
you,  but  don't  botch  the  killing  of  a  lot  of  fowls  you  want  to  go  to  market  and  bring  good 
prices.  Badly  dressed  poultry  will  not  bring  first  class  prices. 


160  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    REEFING. 

How  to  Scald  a  Fowl. 

For  the  novice,  scalding  is  the  easier  method,  and  if  he  has  a  proper  equipment,  and  uses 
fair  judgment  in  scalding,  he  need  not  spoil  the  looks  of  his  poultry  in  the  scalding. 

If  the  fowl  is  to  be  sold  with  head  on,  kill  as  described  above,  or  make  the  cut  in  the  neck, 
severing  the  head  just  back  of  the  ear  from  the  body,  without  cutting  the  skin  more  than  is 
necessary  to  insert  the  knife. 

To  scald,  have  a  kettle  or  other  vessel  of  water  just  below  the  boiling  point.  Have  the 
vessel  large  enough  and  enough  water  in  it,  to  maintain  an  even  temperature  and  to  give  room 
to  souse  the  fowl  well  and  quickly.  I  used  to  scald  in  the  set  kettle  in  which  we  cooked  our 
mash.  This  was  a  fifty  gallon  kettle  set  in  brick  work.  We  would  put  six  or  eight  pails  of 
water  in  it,  put  enough  fire  under  to  bring  it  almost  to  the  boiling  point,  and  cover  the  kettle 
until  the  water  was  ready.  Usually  what  coals  were  under  the  kettle  at  that  time  would  keep 
the  water  hot  while  we  scalded  what  fowls  were  to  be  killed  —  about  thirty  to  forty  at  a  time. 
In  any  case  a  few  pieces  of  small  wood  added  would  keep  the  water  right. 

We  cut  heads  off,  so  had  only  to  take  a  fowl  by  the  feet,  plunge  under  water  and  swash 
about  and  up  and  down  once  or  twice,  and  take  out.  With  a  well  feathered  fowl  the  water 
scarcely  touched  the  skin,  but  the  feathers  were  well  wet  and  steamed  up,  and  were  very  easily 
removed. 

If  a  fowl  or  chicken  was  poorly  feathered  or  had  bare  spots  we  plunged  it  into  the  water 
quickly  and  took  right  out.  This  gave  a  poor  "  scald,''  but  avoided  damaging  the  skin. 

The  common  trouble  with  scalded  poultry  is  that  the  water  is  either  too  hot  or  too  cold,  or 
the  scalding  done  in  so  small  a  vessel  that  the  feathers  cannot  be  wet  without  the  skin  being 
scalded. 

When  the  head  is  to  be  left  on,  the  fowl  must  be  taken  by  both  head  and  feet  and  the 
feathers  wet  without  the  hot  water  scalding  the  head, otherwise  the  head  would  present  a  most 
unattractive  appearance. 

Cleaning  and  Cooling. 

Whatever  method  of  killing  and  plucking  is  used,  the  carcass  should  be  clean,  well  plucked, 
and  made  as  attractive  as  possible.  Slipshod  and  slovenly  dressing  will  make  good  poultry 
grade  low.  There  are  several  things  which  detract  from  the  appearance  and  selling  value  of 
poultry  as  it  reaches  the  consumer. 

The  first  of  these  is  the  fitting  of  poultry  for  killing.  It  should  be  kejt  without  food  for  at 
least  twenty-four  hours  before  killing,  that  the  crop  and  intestines  may  be  empty.  If  the  crop 
contains  food  the  carcass  looks  bad,  and  the  food  souring  in  it  may  taint  the  meat.  If  the 
intestines  are  not  empty  their  contents  may  affect  the  meat  of  the  parts  near  them.  For  looks, 
quality,  and  keeping  properties,  the  starving  before  killing  is  necessary. 

Many  fowls  well  killed  and  well  plucked,  are  not  made  clean  before  being  sent  to  market. 
Blood  is  left  on  the  head  and  mouth,  and  often  manure  on  the  feet,  and  bloody  smears  on  the 
skin.  The  carcass  should  be  clean,  the  parts  to  be  cut  off  as  well  as  what  is  to  be  eaten. 

A  great  deal  of  dressed  poultry  begins  to  spoil  before  it  reaches  consumers,  or  spoils  quickly 
in  their  hands,  because  it  has  not  been  properly  cooled.  This  is  the  trouble,  too,  with  much  of 
the  poultry  the  grower  thinks  is  first  class,  while  dealers  and  buyers  rate  it  lower.  Poultry 
that  has  not  been  properly  cooled  spoils  quickly,  and  is  apt  to  be  flabby  and  insipid. 

Place  the  carcasses  as  soon  as  dressed  clean  in  cold  water.  Running  water  is  best,  but  still 
water  changed  a  few  times  will  do.  In  hot  weather  it  is  best  to  use  ice.  Thorough  cooling 
requires  several  hours.  It  will  do  no  harm  to  keep  the  carcasses  in  the  cold  water  all  day,  or 
over  night,  and  that  may  be  advisable  if  the  weather  is  warm.  If  the  weather  is  cool  enough  it 
is  better  to  take  the  carcasses  out  of  the  water  when  cool,  and  hang  in  a  cool  place  until  ready 
to  pack  them. 

The  object  of  cooling  is  to  get  the  animal  heat  out  of  the  body  as  quickly  as  possible.  If  this 
Is  not-done  decomposition  sets  in  almost  at  once,  and  advances  rapidly,  and  the  poultry  which 
leaves  the  producer's  hands  apparently  in  fine  condition  reaches  its  market  in  bad  shape,  the 
shipper  gets  returns  for  a  lower  grade  of  stuff  than  he  shipped,  and  often  concludes  that  the 
parties  he  shipped  to  were  dishonest,  when  the  fault  was  all  bis  own. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IX  POULTRY   KEEPING. 


LESSON    XXI. 


Selling  Exhibition  Stock  and  Eggs  for  Hatching. 


FEW  keepers  of  thoroughbred  fowls  do  not  have  some  opportunities  to  sell  stock  and 
eggs  for  hatching  at  better  prices  than  would  be  obtained  from  common  stock.    Nearly 
all  want  to  take  advantage  of  such  opportunities.    A  great  many  regard  them  as 
beginnings  of  a  trade  which  may  develop  to  proportions  which  will  warrant  their 
giving  their  time  exclusively  to  this  business. 

Advertising. 

Some  opportunities  to  sell  come  without  "  advertising."  To  all  who  see  it  a  nice  flock  of 
fowls  is  its  own  advertisement,  and  is  sure  to  excite  in  some  a  wish  to  have  some  of  the  same 
stock.  Whether  this  unsolicited  demand  for  stock  and  eggs  would  alone  become  worth  while, 
depends  mostly  on  the  location.  In  a  section  where  the  poultry  interests  are  as  yet  little 
developed,  it  would  not  be  likely  to  amount  to  much  for  some  time.  In  places  where  the 
interest  is  good  and  growing,  a  poultryman  located  where  many  passers  by  see  his  stock,  will 
sometimes  be  able  to  do  quite  a  large  trade  without  advertising  in  the  public  prints,  but  in 
most  cases  the  man  who  wants  to  sell  fowls  and  eggs  to  any  substantial  amount  must  make 
announcement  of  that  fact  through  mediums  which  reach  many  more  people  who  want  to  buy 
than  see  his  stock  accidentally.  Where  one  man  may  build  up  a  local  trade  without  adver- 
tising a  hundred  to  get  the  same  volume  of  trade  must  advertise  judiciously  and  continuouslv 

The  poultry  papers  are  unquestionably  the  best  mediums  for  advertising  poultry  and  eggs* 
They  circulate  almost  wholly  among  people  interested  in  poultry  and  possible  buyers  of  stock 
and  eggs.  Some  of  them  have  a  proportion  of  sample  copy  and  premium  circulation  to  people 
who  do  not  read  them,  but,  as  a  rule,  the  papers  go  to  persons  especially  interested  in  poultry 
and  in  the  habit  of  looking  through  their  poultry  papers  for  advertisements  of  anything  in  this 
line  they  may  want.  Farm  papers  as  a  class  are  far  below  the  poultry  papers  as  mediums  for 
advertising  poultry,  though  a  few  farm  papers  giving  especial  attention  to  poultry  are  good. 
Daily  and  weekly  local  papers  it  is  seldom  worth  while  to  advertise  poultry  in.  Occasionally 
one  will  make  something  of  a  specialty  of  poultry  advertising,  especially  in  the  Sunday  paper*, 
and  give  very  good  returns,  but  these  cases  are  exceptional.  Ofteuer  the  money  spent  in 
advertising  in  them  might  as  well  be  thrown  away.  Some  years  ago  I  a  ran  three  inch  ad.  for 
a  month  in  the  height  of  the  egg  season  in  one  of  the  best  positions  in  a  daily  paper  without 
making  a  single  sale.  At  the  same  time  an  ad.  published  in  a  poultry  paper  published  several 
thousand  miles  away  was  bringing  me  customers  right  in  my  home  town  who  read  the  local 
papers  every  day,  yet  never  saw  the  ad.,  because  they  were  not  thinking  of  poultry  when  read- 
ing it.  When  they  took  up  their  poultry  paper  they  looked  all  through  it,  looking  particularly 
for  ads.  of  breeders  near  them. 


162  FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

Which  Poultry  Paper,  and  How  Much  Space. 

The  best  advertising  medium  for  the  beginner  should  be  the  paper  having  the  largest  circu- 
lation in  his  vicinity  and  section',  for  until  he  makes  a  reputation  that  extends  beyond  his  own 
locality  most  of  his  sales  are  likely  to  be  to  people  living  not  far  from  him.  This  rule  will  not, 
however,  always  hold  good  for  large  —  and  much  less  for  small  advertisers.  In  some  papers 
the  small  advertiser  has  little  show,  every  effort  of  the  publisher  being  directed  to  drawing  the 
attention  of  readers  to  the  larger  advertisers;  in  others, small  advertisements  are  relatively  as 
profitable  as  large  ones.  In  any  paper,  though,  a  small  ad.  may  run  for  some  time  without 
attracting  attention  or  making  sales,  hence  the  beginner  in  advertising  should  keep  big  adver- 
tising expense  within  what  he  is  able  to  stand  though  no  sales  are  made,  for  while  it  is  true 
that  the  volume  of  business  done  through  a  paper  has  some  relation  to  the  amount  of  space  used 
in  it,  large  ads.  alone  do  not  always  attract  attention  in  the  way  the  advertiser  wants  them  to  ; 
and  If  a  poultryman  with  no  reputation  and  no  experience  in  advertising  relies  upon  the  pulling 
power  of  size  in  his  ads.  he  is  likely  to  be  disappointed.  In  a  paper  like  FARM- POULTRY, 
with  the  small  ads.  classified  and  given  a  place  in  the  body  of  the  book  on  reading  pages,  the 
srnaU  classified  ad.  is  the  best  beginning  for  most  small  advertisers. 

How  to  Write  an  Advertisement. 

Your  advertisement  should  be  a  brief  plain  statement  calling  attention  to  what  you  have  to 
sell,  and  generally  giving  your  prices  or  range  of  prices.  The  object  of  the  advertisement  is 
not  to  sell  the  stock  directly  through  the  advertisement.  It  is  simply  an  announcement  for  the 
purpose  of  putting  you  in  communication  with  persons  who  want  goods  of  the  kind  you  have 
to  sell.  Occasionally  buyers  order  direct  from  an  ad.  Oftener  some  correspondence  passes 
before  a  sale  is  made.  The  prime  object  of  the  advertisement  is  to  bring  you  the  names  of  pos- 
sible customers,  and  that  is  the  most  that  a  paper  can  do  for  an  advertiser;  further  results 
depend  upon  himself. 

Whatever  the  expert  advertiser  may  do,  the  beginner  should  avoid  fantastic  effects  either  in 
statement  or  in  mechanical  arrangement  of  an  ad.  Make  your  statement  straightforward,  to 
the  point,  and  without  a  superfluous  word. 

Answering    Correspondence. 

Every  letter  received  from  an  ad.  should  be  given  some  sort  of  reply  promptly.  The  average 
inquirer  writes  to  a  number  of  advertisers  at  the  same  time,  and  those  who  reply  at  once  stand 
the  best  chances  of  making  sales.  As  a  rule,  the  reply  should  be  limited  to  matters  pertaining 
directly  to  the  business  transaction.  Many  persons  in  writing  about  stock  or  eggs  ask  for  more 
or  less  information  on  other  matters.  These  questions  may  properly  be  passed  with  the  state- 
ment that  you  cannot  take  time  to  reply  to  them.  To  decline  to  reply  to  such  questions,  and  to 
give  straightforward  replies  to  pertinent  questions,  is  the  best  policy. 

Have  neat  and  appropriate  stationery,  letter  heads  bearing  your  name  and  that  of  the  breed 
or  breeds  of  fowls  you  keep,  and  as  much  general  information  about  them  as  seems  appropri- 
ate and  can  be  used  without  crowding  too  much  printed  matter  on  the  page,  and  envelopes 
with  your  name,  address,  and  the  name  of  your  yards,  or  farm,  or  of  your  breeds.  It  pays  tc 
be  modest  in  these  announcements.  Don't  proclaim  yourself  a  specialist  in  any  breed  or 
variety  until  you  really  have  gained  some  recognition  as  such.  I  get  many  letters  from  poul- 
trymen  calling  themselves  specialists  in  the  breeds  they  keep,  asking  me  the  most  elementary 
questions  about  those  breeds,  and  about  the  general  principles  of  breeding;  and  I  often  wonder 
what  sort  of  letters  these  specialists  write  to  their  business  correspondents,  and  how  the  letters 
read  to  the  latter.  I  am  sure  the  prospective  customer  must  often  see  through  the  pretensions 
implied  in  the  use  of  such  terms  and  the  exaggerations  in  the  letter  head  notices  of  the  stock 
acil  a  customer  is  lost  when  otherwise  a  sale  would  have  been  made.  If  you  are  new  in  the 
business  and  feel  tempted  to  make  as  strong  claims  in  your  advertising  as  some  of  those  who 
have  been  at  it  much  longer,  remember  that  only  those  as  new  or  newer  than  yourself  are  likelv 
to  fail  to  see  through  it,  and  you  virtually  limit  your  sales  to  this  class,  while,  if  you  really 
have  good  stock  a  plain  and  unpretentious  statement  of  the  fact  is  likely  to  bring  you  a  pro- 
portion of  trade  from  those  who  really  know  something  about  it,  and  know  when  they  get 
what  they  order  and  good  value  for  their  money. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY  KEEPING.  163 

The  beginner  is  apt  to  think  that  he  can  only  sell  to  novices,  anyway.  This  is  a  mistake. 
Many  a  beginner  has  stock  that  older  hands  are  glad  to  get,  and  will  pay  him  more  for  tliau 
beginners  would.  The  profit  in  the  thoroughbred  poultry  and  egg  trade  depends  on  selling 
to  those  who  can  use  good  stock  and  will  pay  for  it.  A  trade  that  is  limited  to  low  priced 
stock  can  be  a  profitable  trade  only  when  conducted  on  a  very  large  scale. 

The  Question  of  Values. 

How  much  better  than  market  prices  one  may  obtain  for  eggs  and  stock  depends  upon 
several  things,  most  important  of  which  are  — the  stock  — the  demand  — the  poultry  keeper 
himself. 

The  basis  of  values  of  poultry  and  eggs  is  their  market  value.  Whatever  can  be  obtained 
for  them  over  and  above  market  prices  represents  generally  the  amount  of  the  premium  some 
one  is  willing  to  pay  on  some  superficial  quality  he  sees  in  the  stock  or  on  expectations  of  what 
he  hopes  to  realize  from  it.  The  beginner  who  grasps  that  fact  will  find  it  easier  to  adjust 
himself  and  what  business  he  does  in  thoroughbred  poultry  and  eggs  to  the  conditions  of  the 
business. 

The  market  values  of  eggs  and  fowls  are  their  bed  rock  values.  There  is  an  open  market 
for  eggs  and  table  poultry,  and  in  this  market,  with  an  occasional  slight  exception,  one  man's 
stuff  brings  the  same  price  as  any  other  stuff  of  the  same  quality.  When  we  come  to  breeding 
and  exhibition  values  we  have  values  from  an  entirely  different  standpoint.  Mr.  B.,  who  is 
a  beginner  in  poultry,  has  stock  from  Mr.  M.,  who,  we  will  say,  is  a  leading  breeder  of  White 
Wyandottes.  His  stock  is  better  than  that  of  Mr.  P.,  who  has  some  reputation  as  a  breeder 
of  White  Wyandottes,  but  not  equal  to  that  of  Mr.  M. 

Now  if  values  in  this  line  were  absolute,  or  governed  by  fixed  standards,  Mr.  B.  should  be 
able  to  sell  his  stock  for  the  same  price  as  Mr.  M.  does,  and  for  better  prices  than  Mr.  P.  does. 
But  Mr.  B.  usually  finds  that  he  has  to  sell  such  fowls  and  eggs  as  he  does  sell  at  lower  prices 
than  those  P.  gets,  and  away  below  those  of  M.,  whose  stock  is  practically  the  same.  He  may 
happen  to  have  a  better  bird  of  M.'s  stock  than  M.  has,  yet  he  cannot  begin  to  get  the  price  for 
It  that  M.  would.  There  is  nothing  strange  and  nothing  wrong  in  this  situation.  The  prices 
of  "  fancy"  stock  are  governed  to  some  extent  by  quality  by  the  fancier's  standard,  but  to  an 
equal  or  greater  extent  by  the  reputation  of  the  seller.  This  reputation  is  based  on  the 
results  of  years  of  breeding,  exhibition,  and  selling  of  stock,  and  while  the  degree  of  reputa- 
tion depends  on  these  things,  the  extent  of  the  reputation  depends  more  on  the  individuality  of 
the  man  in  question,  on  his  ability  to  sell  goods,  and  on  the  volume,  persistence,  and  effective- 
ness of  his  advertising. 

The  reputation  which  enables  a  breeder  to  get  very  high  prices  for  what  he  has  to  sell 
represents  years  of  hard  work  and  the  investment  of  a  good  deal  of  money,  and  it  is  some- 
thing that  cannot  be  transferred.  It  attaches  to  the  breeder  rather  than  to  the  stock. 

The  beginner  must  be  satisfied  at  first  to  sell  stock  for  less  than  older  breeders  are  selling 
stock  of  the  same  or  Inferior  quality,  but  he  ought  not  to  put  prices  so  low  as  to  discredit  his 
stock,  or  attract  only  the  cheapest  trade.  It  is  better  to  market  it  than  to  do  that. 

About  the  specific  prices  to  be  fixed,  it  is  hard  to  advise,  and  equally  difficult  to  describe  the 
sort  of  stock  that  should  be  used  to  fill  an  order  at  any  specified  price.  Accurate  knowledge 
along  this  line  comes,  to  those  to  whom  it  does  come,  only  through  experience  in  buying  and 
selling  and  observation  of  the  purchases  and  sales  of  others.  It  depends  very  much  on  judg- 
ment of  quality,  and  It  is  in  this  respect  that  a  great  many  beginners  fail,  mistaken  judgment 
leading  them  sometimes  to  give  culls  where  they  should  send  some  of  their  best  birds,  or  to  use 
very  valuable  birds  to  fill  orders  at  low  prices.  There  is  no  intentional  dishonesty  or  special 
favoring  here,  and  the  seller  himself  suffers  more  than  anyone  else  from  his  mistakes,  but  the 
efforts  of  people  who  know  neither  quality  nor  values  to  do  business  in  thoroughbred  poultry 
have  a  most  unsettling  and  deplorable  effect  on  the  general  trade  in  what  we  may  call  the  low 
grades  of  good  stock.  Much  of  this  trouble  would  be  avoided  if  poultry  keepers  would  refrain 
from  selling  stoc'k  until  they  were  in  a  position  to  supply  the  produce  of  their  own  breeding. 

If  I  were  to  attempt  to  give  rules  to  govern  in  the  sale  of  stock,  I  would  give  a  few  simple 


164  FIE8T    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 

rutes  Tike  the  following,  which  I  wish  it  understood  are  offered  simply  as  suggestions,  though 
stated  more  in  the  form  of  rules.  Few  rules  could  be  given  to  suit  all  cases,  but  each  may 
apply  the  suggestions  as  far  as  he  sees  fit: 

1.  Never  sell  a  fowl  that  you  need  unless  you  are  sure  you  can  replace  it  with  a  better  one 
and  make  something  on  the  transaction. 

2.  Never  send  out  an  unhealthy,  undersized,  or  deformed  fowl  on  a  mail  order.    To  persons 
who  see  the  stock  and  know  its  faults,  and  buy  uuderstaudiugly,  such  stock  may  be  sold  — 
though  it  is  a  question  whether  it  pays  the  seller  to  dispose  of  it  for  stock  purposes  at  any  price. 

3.  If  you  are  entirely  new  in  the  business  and  can  get  an  expert's  advice  in  the  matter  have  him 
sort  over  what  stock  you  have  to  sell,  and  give  you  the  approximate  values  of  each  lot.     Some 
people  have  their  birds  scored  and  sell  by  the  score,  but  private  scoring  is  so  much  in  disrepute 
through  the  abuses  that  develop  in  connection  with  it  that  it  Is  probably  as  well  to  sell  by 
description. 

4.  Always  describe  a  fowl  fairly ;  you  may  lose  some  sales  by  doing  this,  but  in  the  long  run 
will  hold  more  customers. 

5.  Always  sell  stock  on  approval,  giving  the  purchaser  the  privilege  of  returning  the  fowls 
promptly  if  not  satisfactory. 

6.  If  you  find  you  cannot  fill  an  order  with  stock  of  the  quality  you  know  should  be  used, 
return  it  or  advise  the  customer  of  the  situation,  state  what  you  can  do,  and  await  instructions. 
Don't  try  to  piece  out  an  order  with  inferior  birds  and  take  chances  of  the  customer  accepting 
them. 

7.  Keep  the  stock  you  have  to  sell  in  good  condition,  and  keep  it  separate  from  the  stock  you 
reserve.    Have  at  least  enough  of  it  to  till  one  or  two  short  orders  where  you  can  get  it  easily, 
at  a  moment's  notice,  if  need  be,  and  send  it  away  in  condition  that  will  not  discredit  you. 

Shipping    Stock. 

Coops  for  shipping  fine  fowls  are  now  sold  in  knock  down  bundles  so  cheaply  that  unless 
one  has  lots  of  spare  time  H  is  cheaper  to  buy  them  than  to  make  shipping  coops.  They  come 
in  a  variety  of  sizes,  and  can  be  put  together  in  a  few  minutes.  If  one  is  making  only  an  occa- 
sional shipment,  and  it  is  not  worth  while  to  purchase  a  supply  of  coops,  any  light  box  of  suit- 
able size  may  be  used,  but  if  it  is  an  object  to  advertise  oneself  through  these  shipments,  care 
should  be  taken  to  use  neat,  clean  boxes. 

For  shipments  that  are  to  be  on  the  road  only  a  day  or  thereabouts,  a  little  less  grain  than 
would  be  fed  the  number  of  fowls  in  the  coop  if  at  liberty,  may  be  thrown  on  the  floor  of  the 
coop,  it  having  been  previously  covered  well  with  chaff,  and  a  good  sized  piece  of  mangel  or  of 
cabbage  will  furnish  succulent  food  that  makes  watering  in  transit  unnecessary  in  moderate 
weather.  In  extremely  warm  weather  do  not  ship.  Do  not  send  fowls  off  in  a  cold  snap. 
For  long  journeys  water  cups  must  be  provided,  fastened  in  the  corner  of  the  coop  in  such 
position  that  the  water  may  be  poured  in  through  the  space  in  the  top.  Grain  for  long  dis- 
tance shipments  may  be  put  in  a  small  bag  tied  to  the  coop  in  such  manner  that  the  express- 
man can  get  at  it  easily.  Vegetables  should  be  placed  in  the  coop. 

When  shipping,  notify  the  customer  so  that  the  notice  will  reach  him  either  with  or  a  little 
In  advance  of  the  fowls.  Do  this  though  you  may  previously  have  advised  hlm'when  you 
would  ship.  If  you  know  or  have  reason  to  suppose  that  the  customer  is  "green"  about 
handling  stock,  advise  him  in  your  letter  to  be  careful  about  giving  water  freely  at  tirst.  Tell 
him  briefly  how  it  has  been  fed,  that  he  may  avoid  a  radical  change.  Urge  him  to  keep  the 
new  birds  isolated  from  the  rest  of  his  stock  for  a  week  or  two.  This  last  is  a  special  measure 
of  self  defense.  If  the  customer  has  latent  disease  among  his  stock,  your  healthy  birds  put  in 
with  the  rest  might  contract  the  disease  in  virulent  form, and  you  would  be  blamed  for  having 
sent  him  sick  stock,  when,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  fault  was  his. 

The  Season  for  Sales  of  Stock. 

The  breeder  who  has  a  large  and  long  established  trade  makes  some  sales  the  year  round. 
The  beginner's  sales  of  stock  are  usually  limited  to  a  few  months  immediately  preceding  the 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING.  165 

breeding  season.  December,  January,  and, February  will  see  the  most  of  his  sales,  and  he  need 
not  feel  discouraged  if  he  finds  no  demand  until  well  on  in  January.  The  class  of  trade  he 
will  get  at  first  does  not  buy  freely  until  signs  of  spring  begin  to  be  in  evidence.  A  few  warm 
days  at  any  time  after  New  Years  is  apt  to  have  a  marked  effect  on  inquiries  for  stock. 

Selling  Eggs  for  Hatching. 

Like  the  trade  in  stock,  the  egg  trade  is  for  most  poultrymen  limited  to  a  short  season. 
Comparatively  few  shipments  of  eggs  are  made  until  the  season  is  far  enough  advanced  to  make 
it  likely  that  the  weather  will  be  somewhat  settled  by  the  time  the  chicks  are  hatched. 

If  one  sells  eggs  he  should  sell  from  the  same  matings  he  uses  himself.  He  may  occasionally 
reserve  a  few  birds  in  special  matings,  but  even  so,  these  special  matings  should  be  experi- 
mental rather  than  in  the  way  of  reserving  the  cream  of  his  stock,  unless  the  eggs  sold  are 
offered  at  a  price  away  below  the  value  of  eggs  from  the  birds  reserved. 

Many  breeders  who  hatch  large  numbers  of  chickens  for  themselves  make  a  practice  of 
dividing  the  eggs  equally  day  by  day,  reserving  half  and  using  half  to  fill  orders.  Others 
whose  egg  trade  is  larger  in  proportion  to  their  ability  to  supply  it,  find  it  necessary  at  times 
to  ship  all  or  nearly  all  of  their  eggs  just  at  the  season  they  most  want  them  for  themselves, 
or  else  return  many  orders.  A  breeder  who  sells  himself  short  of  eggs  at  the  best  hatching 
season  runs  the  risk  of  crippling  himself  for  stock  at  the  end  of  the  season. 

Whatever  practice  is  followed,  the  seller  must  be  fair  to  bis  customer,  remembering  that  it 
is  chances  the  customer  buys  in  eggs,  and  giving  him  "  a  square  deal"  both  with  reference  to 
himself  and  to  other  customers. 

And  whatever  breeders  of  reputation  may  do  about  sending  out  inferior  looking  eggs  from 
fine  specimens,  the  novice  in  the  business  will  find  it  his  best  policy  to  send  out  none  but 
good  looking  eggs. 

In  the  matter  of  guaranteeing  fertility,  most  breeders  do  not  guarantee  fertility,  and  replace 
eggs  that  fail  to  hatch  only  when  from  what  they  know  of  the  way  their  eggs  are  hatching 
they  feel  that  they  ought  to  do  so.  Some  guarantee  a  certain  per  cent  hatch,  if  the  infertiles 
are  returned  to  them. 

For  shipping  eggs  the  boxes  and  baskets  made  especially  for  that  purpose  are,  all  things 
considered,  most  satisfactory  to  use. 


166 


FIEST    LENSON8    IN    POULTRY    KEEPING. 


INDEX. 


Advertising,  161. 

Age  lor  weaniiig  chicks,  53. 

Age  ol  breeding  stock,  22. 

Albuminous  food  elements,  113. 

Alfalfa,  8,  12    37. 

American  Dominiques,  26. 

American  types,  25. 

Animal  food,  95. 

Animal  organism,  needs  of,  113. 

Appetite,  16. 

Asiatic  types,  25. 

Barred  varieties,  mating,  31. 

Beak,  shape  of,  28. 

Beards,  28. 

Black  varieties,  mating,  29. 

Bone,  how  much  to  feed,  16. 

Box  coops,  advantages  of,  44. 

Boxes,  feed,  123. 

Boxes  for  grit,  shell,  etc.,  128. 

Brahma  type,  25. 

Bran,  8. 

Breeding  stock,  selection  of,  1-9. 

Breed  shape,  20,  24. 

Broken  feathers,  removing,  143. 

Brooder  houses,  109. 

Brood,  number  in,  47. 

Brown  Leghorns,  mating,  34. 

Buff  varieties,  mating,  30. 

Building  materials,  64. 

Cabbage,  8, 137. 

Cake,  baked  for  chicks,  50. 

Carbonaceous  food  elements,  113. 

Cat  proof  coops,  45. 

Change,  effects  ol,  95. 

Charcoal,  8. 

Chicks,  feeding,  48. 

Chicks  helping  out  of  shell,  42. 

Chicks,  how  many  in  brood,  47. 

Chicks,  how  often  to  feed,  51. 

Chicks,  late  hatched,  58. 

Chicks,  marking,  46. 

Chicks,  rearing  with  hens,  43. 

Chicks,  separating,  57. 

Chicks,  taking  from  nest,  46. 

Chicks,  teaching  to  roost,  54. 

Chicks,  water  for,  52. 

Chicks,  weaning,  53. 

Chicks,  yard  room  for,  55. 

Chilled  eggs,  41. 

Chloro-naptholeum  for  mites,  136. 

Cleaning  dressed  poultry,  160. 

Cleanliness  with  sitting  hens,  40. 

Clipped  wings  in  exhibition  fowls,  142. 

Closed  houses,  61. 

Clover,  8, 12. 137. 

Cochin  type,  25. 

Cold  houses,  76. 

Color  of  plumage,  27. 

Comb,  kinds  of,  28. 


Comb,  lopped,  142. 

Compensation  matings,  21. 

Condiments,  8. 

Condition  and  feeding,  16. 

Confining  hens  to  nests,  40. 

Connecting  pen  houses,  60. 

Constitutional  vigor,  20. 

Continuous  house  plans,  102. 

Continuous  vs.  separate  houses,  99» 

Cooling  dressed  poultry,  160. 

Coops,  43. 

Coops,  for  weaned  cbicks,  53. 

Coops,  placing,  47. 

Coops,  why  use,  45. 

Corn,  as  food,  114. 

Corn,  feeding  whole,  7. 

Correspondence,  answering,  162. 

Crests,  28. 

Cubic  space  for  fowl,  63. 

Culling  chicks,  47. 

Culling  young  stock,  135. 

Damaged  foods,  feeding,  119. 

Dark  nests,  125. 

Davis'  poultry  house  plan,  78. 

Disqualifications,  141. 

Dominique,  American,  26. 

Dorking  type,  26. 

Double  comb,  see  Pose  comb. 

Double  mating,  22. 

Double  mating  of  Barred  Rocks,  31. 

Drinking  vessels,  124. 

Droppings  boards,  120. 

Dry  feeding,  10. 

Dry  feed  systems,  9. 

Dry  grain  ration  a,  12. 

Dry  mash  rations,  12. 

Dry  picking,  158. 

Dust  bath,  41, 128. 

Dust,  laying  in  supply,  136. 

Ear  lobes, 28. 

Economy  in  feeding  best,  134. 

Effects  of  change,  95. 

Egg  foods,  8. 

Eggs,  chilled,  41. 

Eggs  for  hatching,  about.  39. 

Eggs  for  hatching,  selling,  165. 

Eggs,  number  to  set  to  a  hen,  39. 

Eggs,  testing,  41. 

Evening  mash,  9. 

Excelsior  for  nesls,  37. 

Exercise  and  feeding,  16. 

Exercise  in  fitting  exhibition  (owls,  145. 

Exhibiting  fowls,  139. 

Exhibition  Gams  type,  27. 

Failures,  why  the.  5. 

Fallacies,  some  scientific,  114. 

Fats,  113. 

Fattening  fowls  in  summer,  97. 

Fattening  old  hens,  153. 


FIRST    LESSONS    IN    POULTRY  KEEPING. 


167 


Fattening  poultry,  149. 

Feathers  on  shanks,  141. 

Feathers,  removing  broken,  143. 

Feed,  how  much,  15. 

Feed,  how  often  to,  14. 

Feed,  how  to  learn  to,  117. 

Feeding,  best  way  to  economize  ."n,  134. 

Feeding  chicks  for  stock  purposes,  56. 

Feeding  growing  chicks,  55. 

Feeding  market  chicks,  56. 

Feeding,  practice  in,  118. 

Feeding,  simple  vs.  scientific,  112. 

Feeding,  special,  96. 

Feeding,  summer ,  95. 

Feeding,  three  prime  factors  in,  119. 

Feeding  young  chicks,  48. 

Feed,  keeping  by  chicks,  51. 

Feed  troughs,  boxes  and  hoppers,  123. 

Feed  troughs  for  chicks,  51. 

Fences,  permanent,  130. 

Fence,  the  simplest,  129. 

Fitting  for  exhibition,  144. 

Fixed  feeding  standards,  115. 

Fixtures,  poultry  house,  120. 

Floors,  64. 

Floor  space  per  fowl,  63. 

Flour,  8,  63. 

Food  elements.  113. 

Food  for  silting  hens,  39. 

Foods,  7. 

Food  supplies  for  a  flock,  8. 

Forcing  exhibition  fowls  for  weight,  145. 

Foundations,  64. 

Fowl,  how  to  catch  H,  143. 

Fowls,  how  judged,  140. 

Fresh  air,  importance  of,  135. 

Game  types,  26. 

Gates,  132. 

Golden  Laced  varieties,  mating,  33. 

Golden  Penciled  varieties,  mating,  33. 

Grain  and  meat  mash,  12. 

Grain,  how  much,  15. 

Green  food,  8,  95. 

Green  food  in  fitting  exhibition  fowls,  144. 

Green  foods,  winter  supply,  137. 

Grit,  8. 

Grit,  shell,  etc.,  receptacles,  128. 

Grooming  exhibition  fowls,  145. 

Grosvenor's  poultry  house,  87. 

Hamburg  type,  26. 

Hatching,  what  to  do  when,  42. 

Hatching  with  hens,  35. 

Hawk  proof  coops,  45. 

Hay  for  litter,  137. 

Height  of  walls,  62. 

Helping  chicks  out  of  shell,  42. 

Hens,  old,  as  layers,  91. 

Holding  poultry  for  high  prices,  157. 

Hoppers,  feed,  123. 

Houdan  type,  26. 

House  capacity  and  dimensions,  63. 

House  for  a  dozen  fowls,  67. 

House  for  twenty-five  fowls,  78. 

House  for  seventy-five  fowls,  70. 

Houses,  brooder,  109. 

Houses,  continuous  vs.  separate,  99. 

Houses,  making  ready  for  winter,  136. 

House  with  walk,  width  of,  64. 


Housing  methods,  60. 

How  often  to  feed,  14,  51. 

How  to  catch  a  fowl,  143. 

How  to  make  a  nest,  37. 

How  to  scald  a  fowl,  160. 

How  to  set  hens,  38. 

Inbreeding, 23. 

Incubator  rooms,  106. 

Indian  Game  type,  27. 

Insecticides,  using,  41. 

Java  type,  26. 

Johnnycake,  50. 

Jumping  for  exercise,  17. 

Killing  poultry,  158. 

Laced  varieties,  mating,  33. 

Langshan  type,  25. 

Late  hatched  chicks,  58. 

Layers,  old  hens  as,  91. 

Laying  stock,  feeding  in  winter,  14. 

Leaf  comb,  28. 

Leaves  for  litter,  137. 

Leghorn  type,  25. 

Legs,  29. 

Lice,  treating  chicks  for,  52. 

Lice,  treating  sitting  hens  for,  41. 

Light  Brahmas,  mating,  32. 

Like  begets  like,  19. 

Line  breeding,  23. 

Literature  of  mating  fowls,  34. 

Litter,  137. 

Live  poultry,  selling,  157. 

Lopped  comb,  142. 

Machine  fattening,  153. 

Maine  poultry  house,  80. 

Making  a  mash,  12. 

Mangels,  137. 

Marking  chicks,  46. 

Mash,  feeding,  9. 

Mash,  how  much,  15. 

Mash,  making  a,  12. 

Materials,  building,  64. 

Mating,  21,  29. 

Mating,  double,  22. 

Mating,  engaging  experts  for,  22. 

Mating  fowls,  literature  of,  34. 

Mating,  two  systems  of,  31. 

Meat  and  grain  mash,  12. 

Meat  foods,  8. 

Meat,  how  much  to  feed,  16. 

Methods  of  feeding,  9. 

Middlemen,  154. 

Middlings,  8. 

Milk  for  fowls,  8. 

Millet,  quality  and  feeding,?. 

Minorca  type,  23. 

Mites,  136. 

Mixed  chop,  7. 

Molting,  97. 

Molting  hens,  rations  for,  98. 

Monitor-top  house,  62. 

Morning  mash,  9. 

Mothers,  faults  of  hens  as,  4o. 

Mothers,  selecting  hens  for,  46. 

Nature's  checks  and  balances.  114. 

Nest  boxes  for  sitting  hens,  36. 

Nests  confining  hens  to,  40. 

Nest,  how  to  make  a,  37. 

Nests  for  laying  hens,  125. 


168 


FIR  1ST  LESSONS    IN    POULTRY   KEEPING. 


Nests,  number  needed,  125. 

Nests,  skeleton,  126. 

Nitrogenous  food  elements,  113. 

Noon  mash,  9. 

Nutritive  ratio,  113. 

Oats  as  food,  7,115. 

O'Brien's  poultry  house,  86.     • 

Original  ideas  in  feeding,  118. 

Orpington  type,  26. 

Overcrowding  chicks,  57. 

Oyster  shell,  8. 

Parti-colors,  27. 

Pattison's  poultry  house,  80. 

Pea  comb,  28. 

Penciled  varieties,  mating,  32. 

Perfection,  physical,  20. 

Pit  Game  type,  27. 

Plymouth  Rock  type,  25. 

Polish  type,  26. 

Position  of  walk,  61. 

Potential  energy,  113. 

Poultry  house  fixtures,  120. 

Poultry  keeper,  defined,  18. 

Poultry  shows,  140. 

Prices  for  drawn  and  undrawn  poultry,  158. 

Proteids,  113. 

Protein,  113. 

Provender,  7. 

Quality  in  poultry  house  construction,  62. 

Railroad  ties  for  poultry  house,  63. 

Range  for  chicks,  55. 

Range,  yards  and,  94. 

Ration,  a  dry  grain,  TJ. 

Rations,  a  few  good  sample,  11. 

Rations,  dry  mash,  12. 

Rations  for  molting  hens,  98. 

Ratio,  nutritive,  113. 

Bearing  chicks  with  hens,  43. 

Red  dog  flour,  8. 

Red  varieties,  mating,  30. 

Resting  eggs,  39. 

Roofings,  prepared,  64. 

Roofs,  styles  of,  62. 

Roosting  in  trees,  chicks,  54. 

Roosts,  121. 

Roost,  teaching  chicks  to,  54. 

Rose  comb,  28. 

Ryan's  poultry  house,  83. 

Sales,  season  of,  164. 

Sample  rations,  11. 

Scalding,  158. 

Scaly  legs,  143. 

Scientific  feeding,  so-called,  112. 

Scratching  for  exercise,  16. 

Scratching  room  houses,  61. 

Scratching  shed  houses,  61. 

Selecting  hens  for  mothers,  46. 

Selecting  hens  to  keep  over,  92. 

Selection,  19. 

Selection,  novices'  errors  in,  21. 

Selection  of  exhibition  specimens,  141. 

Selection  of  sitting  hens,  38. 

Selling  eggs  for  hatching,  165. 

Selling  to  private  trade,  155. 

Semi-monitor  top  roof,  62. 

Separate  vs.  continuous  houses,  99. 

Separating  chicks,  57. 

Setting  hens.  35. 


Shade,  48. 

Shape,  breed,  20,  24. 

Shell,  S. 

Shelters  for  chicks,  54. 

Shingles,  64. 

Shipping  eggs  for  hatching,  165. 

Shipping  exhibition  fowls,  147. 

Shipping  stock,  164. 

Short*,  8. 

Show,  care  of  fowls  at,  148. 

Shows,  poultry,  140. 

Sick  fowls,  breeding  from,  26. 

Silver  laced  varieties,  mating,  33. 

Silver  penciled  varieties,  mating,  32. 

Single  comb,  28. 

Single  pen  houses,  60. 

Sitting  heus,  food  and  care  of,  39. 

Skeleton  nests,  126. 

Special  feeding,  96. 

Standard  matiugs,  21. 

Standard  used  in  judging,  140. 

Straw  for  litter,  137. 

Sugar  beets,  137. 

Sulpho-napihol  for  mites,  136. 

Summer,  fattening  foods  in,  97. 

Summer  feeding,  95. 

Summer  management  of  fowls,  91. 

Tails,  wry,  142. 

Temperature  to  keep  eggs  for  hatching,  < 

Testing  eggs,  41. 

Theory  of  scientific  feeding,  113. 

Tiers,  placing  nests  for  sitters  in,  37. 

Time  of  feeding,  96. 

Tobacco  leaves  for  nests,  &7. 

Toes,  29. 

Troughs,  feed,  51,  123. 

Turning  eggs  kept  for  hatching,  39. 

Two  or  more  pen  houses,  60. 

Types,  Asiatic,  25. 

Types,  Mediterranean,  25. 

Undercolor,  32. 

Values,  the  question  of,  163. 

Vegetable  foods,  8,  16. 

Vegetable  mash,  12. 

Ventilation,  60,  94. 

Walk,  doing  work  from,  104. 

Walk,  houses  with,  61. 

Walks  in  continuous  houses,  104. 

Walls,  height  of,  (52. 

Washing  fowls,  14d. 

Water  for  chicks,  52. 

Wattles,  28. 

Weight,  to  increase  rapidly,  145. 

Wheat,  hard  vs.  soft,  119. 

When  to  set  hens,  38. 

White  middlings,  8. 

White  varieties,  mating,  29. 

Whitewashing,  136. 

Why  people  fail  in  poultry  keeping,  5. 

Width  of  house  with  walk,  64. 

Winter,  feeding  laying  stock  in,  14. 

Winter,  getting  ready  for,  133. 

Winter  quarters,  putting  stock  into,  135. 

Winter  supplies,  136. 

Wyandotte  type,  26. 

Yard  room  for  chicks,  55. 

Yards  and  range,  94. 

Yards,  renovating,  136. 


MAY  22  lo~{ 
MAY  23  is.,,, 


LD  21-50m-l,'3S 


YC  20391 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFORNJA  LIBRARY 


Nothing  on  Earth 


WILL 


Malte  Hens  Lay 


LIKE 


*-?N^^HHHHKEaiR 

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